Patents by Inventor Akinori Kimata

Akinori Kimata 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: 12069208
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first hardware processor that receives setting of a type of a recording medium by a user; a detector that detects a type determination parameter for a recording medium including a recording medium for which setting of a type has been received by the first hardware processor; a second hardware processor that determines a type of a recording medium based on a detection result of the detector; an image former that forms an image on the recording medium; and a third hardware processor that transmits, to an external device, at least two pieces of information of information regarding the type received, information regarding the type determined by the second hardware processor, or information regarding matching or mismatching of the type received and the type determined with respect to the recording medium for which setting of a type has been received by the first hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Akinori Kimata, Takahiro Tsujimoto, Noriyuki Jinbo, Kenichi Hayashi, Shiro Umeda, Satoru Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20240255879
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a conveyance section that conveys a first recording medium and a second recording medium, a sensor that detects information relating to the first recording medium and information relating to the second recording medium, and a hardware processor that causes the sensor to detect the information relating to the first recording medium conveyed first by the conveyance section and to detect the information relating to the second recording medium conveyed by the conveyance section after the first recording medium, and outputs the detected information relating to the second recording medium after the first recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenichi HAYASHI, Noriyuki JINBO, Akinori KIMATA, Takahiro TSUJIMOTO, Shiro UMEDA
  • Publication number: 20240255878
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a sensor that detects information relating to the first recording medium and information relating to the second recording medium; and a hardware processor that causes the sensor to detect information relating to the first recording medium conveyed first by the conveyance section and to detect information relating to the second recording medium conveyed by the conveyance section after the first recording medium, causes the conveyance section to operate such that the second recording medium is conveyed at a conveyance speed based on the information relating to the first recording medium, and causes the conveyance section to operate such that the second recording medium is conveyed at the conveyance speed maintained even when the information relating to the second recording medium after the first recording medium is detected to be different from the information relating to the first recording medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 17, 2024
    Publication date: August 1, 2024
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Akinori KIMATA, Takahiro TSUJIMOTO, Noriyuki JINBO, Kenichi HAYASHI, Shiro UMEDA
  • Patent number: 11909932
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sensor configured to detect first information related to a physical property value of a sheet, the sheet to have an image formed thereon; and a processor configured to: obtain second information related to a brand of the sheet; and store the first information and the second information in a memory, the first information being detected by the sensor, the second information being obtained by the processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takahiro Tsujimoto, Akinori Kimata, Kenichi Hayashi, Noriyuki Jinbo, Shiro Umeda
  • Patent number: 11899999
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a former that performs image formation on a sheet conveyed on a conveyance path; a first hardware processor that detects a type of the sheet on which the image is formed; a second hardware processor that receives specification of a type of a sheet from a user; and a third hardware processor that receives a user setting regarding the image formation, wherein the user setting includes a setting for allowing the former to continuously perform the image formation in a case where the sheet type detected by the first hardware processor is different from the sheet type specified by the user received by the second hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Date of Patent: February 13, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Akinori Kimata, Kenichi Hayashi, Shiro Umeda, Yukinobu Iguchi, Satoru Sasaki
  • Publication number: 20240007573
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium, including: a detector that detects a physical property of the recording medium and obtains a detection value; and a hardware processor that controls an operation of the image forming apparatus based on: the detection value detected by the detector, and at least one of: first information that relates to the recording medium and does not include the detection value or a physical property value calculated based on the detection value, and second information that does not relate to the recording medium and is acquired from outside of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2023
    Publication date: January 4, 2024
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takahiro Tsujimoto, Akinori Kimata
  • Publication number: 20230412741
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium includes a detection section, an acquisition section, and a hardware processor. The detection section detects a physical property of the recording medium. The acquisition section acquires predetermined data related to the recording medium from an outside of the image forming apparatus. The hardware processor controls an operation in the image forming apparatus based on a detection value detected by the detection section and the predetermined data acquired by the acquisition section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 8, 2023
    Publication date: December 21, 2023
    Inventors: Takahiro TSUJIMOTO, Akinori KIMATA
  • Publication number: 20230188658
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sensor configured to detect first information related to a physical property value of a sheet, the sheet to have an image formed thereon; and a processor configured to: obtain second information related to a brand of the sheet; and store the first information and the second information in a memory, the first information being detected by the sensor, the second information being obtained by the processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 12, 2022
    Publication date: June 15, 2023
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takahiro TSUJIMOTO, Akinori KIMATA, Kenichi HAYASHI, Noriyuki JINBO, Shiro UMEDA
  • Publication number: 20230156127
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first hardware processor that receives setting of a type of a recording medium by a user; a detector that detects a type determination parameter for a recording medium including a recording medium for which setting of a type has been received by the first hardware processor; a second hardware processor that determines a type of a recording medium based on a detection result of the detector; an image former that forms an image on the recording medium; and a third hardware processor that transmits, to an external device, at least two pieces of information of information regarding the type received, information regarding the type determined by the second hardware processor, or information regarding matching or mismatching of the type received and the type determined with respect to the recording medium for which setting of a type has been received by the first hardware processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2022
    Publication date: May 18, 2023
    Inventors: AKINORI KIMATA, TAKAHIRO TSUJIMOTO, NORIYUKI JINBO, KENICHI HAYASHI, SHIRO UMEDA, SATORU SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20230035820
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a former that performs image formation on a sheet conveyed on a conveyance path; a first hardware processor that detects a type of the sheet on which the image is formed; a second hardware processor that receives specification of a type of a sheet from a user; and a third hardware processor that receives a user setting regarding the image formation, wherein the user setting includes a setting for allowing the former to continuously perform the image formation in a case where the sheet type detected by the first hardware processor is different from the sheet type specified by the user received by the second hardware processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2022
    Publication date: February 2, 2023
    Inventors: Akinori KIMATA, Kenichi HAYASHI, Shiro UMEDA, Yukinobu IGUCHI, Satoru SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20220070307
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a state monitor that monitors an apparatus state; an electrostatic noise detector that detects electrostatic noise; and an erroneous detection determiner that determines whether or not the state monitor has erroneously detected a change in the apparatus state due to electrostatic noise from a detection result of the change in the apparatus state by the state monitor and a detection result of the electrostatic noise detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2021
    Publication date: March 3, 2022
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kenichi HAYASHI, Akinori KIMATA, Noriyuki JINBO, Shiro UMEDA, Yukinobu IGUCHI, Satoru SASAKI
  • Publication number: 20210070573
    Abstract: Provided is an inspection device that performs inspection using ultrasonic waves transmitted on the basis of a burst signal including a plurality of pulses, the inspection device includes: a decider that decides the number of pulses included in the burst signal, or a burst cycle of the burst signal, on the basis of an atmospheric pressure at an installation position of the inspection device; a generator that repeatedly generates the burst signal including the decided number of pulses, or the burst signal having the decided burst cycle; a transmitter that transmits ultrasonic waves on the basis of the burst signal repeatedly generated; and a receiver that receives ultrasonic waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 4, 2020
    Publication date: March 11, 2021
    Inventors: Akinori KIMATA, Yukinobu IGUCHI, Satoru SASAKI, Kenichi HAYASHI, Shiro UMEDA, Noriyuki JINBO
  • Publication number: 20210061603
    Abstract: An image forming device including an optical sensor, an ultrasound sensor, and a conveyance guide. The optical sensor and the ultrasound sensor are disposed alongside a conveyance path of a sheet and are used to determine sheet type. The conveyance guide guides the sheet along the conveyance path. The conveyance guide is structured such that, on the conveyance path between the optical sensor and the ultrasound sensor, the sheet is in contact with the conveyance guide while a portion of the sheet is in a light irradiation range of the optical sensor and a different portion of the sheet is in an ultrasound irradiation range of the ultrasound sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Yutaka YAMAMOTO, Akinori KIMATA, Hiroshi EGUCHI, Yuji KOBAYASHI, Natsuyo IDA, Yasuhiro ISHIHARA
  • Publication number: 20210067647
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a transport device that transports a sheet placed on a sheet holding member; a detector that detects one type from among a first number of types as a type of the sheet transported by the transport device; a display that displays the type of the sheet placed on the sheet holding member; and an input device that accepts an instruction related to a display pattern of the type of the sheet, wherein the input device accepts an instruction to select the display pattern from a first display pattern in which the type of the sheet is selected from among the first number of types, and a second display pattern in which the type of the sheet is selected from a second number of types, and the display displays the type that is a result of the detection by the detector.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 27, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Akinori KIMATA, Yukinobu IGUCHI, Satoru SASAKI, Kenichi HAYASHI, Shiro UMEDA, Noriyuki JINBO
  • Publication number: 20210061602
    Abstract: A controller causes a sensor unit to perform: a first operation for detecting a front end of a sheet; and a second operation for detecting a type of the sheet performed at a timing that is based on detection of the front end of the sheet in the first operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2020
    Publication date: March 4, 2021
    Inventors: Takashi WATANABE, Takeshi ISHIDA, Tatsuya EGUCHI, Toshikazu HIGASHI, Shigetaka KATO, Akinori KIMATA
  • Publication number: 20200296242
    Abstract: A sheet conveyance device including: a conveyance roller that conveys a sheet; a motor that rotationally drives the conveyance roller at a constant speed; a central processing unit (CPU) that: periodically acquires temperature increase rates for the motor from a start of sheet conveyance, the temperature increase rates depending on magnitudes of effective current applied to the motor, the effective current depending on loads during sheet conveyance; and estimates a current temperature of the motor based on a cumulative value calculated from the temperature increase rates and time elapsed from the start of sheet conveyance; and a controller that executes a motor temperature control based on the estimated temperature of the motor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 12, 2020
    Publication date: September 17, 2020
    Inventors: Akinori KIMATA, Tatsuya EGUCHI, Takeshi ISHIDA, Takashi WATANABE
  • Publication number: 20200148498
    Abstract: A stapling apparatus includes a sheet insertion portion that receives insertion of a sheet bundle, a stapler that staples the sheet bundle, a drive apparatus that drives the stapler, and a controller that controls the drive apparatus. The controller has the drive apparatus driven with first electric power when the drive apparatus operates in an on-line stapling mode in which the sheet bundle ejected from an image forming apparatus is stapled and has the drive apparatus driven with second electric power lower than maximum electric power that can be set as first electric power when the drive apparatus operates in a manual stapling mode in which the sheet bundle inserted through the sheet insertion portion is stapled.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2019
    Publication date: May 14, 2020
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takeshi ISHIDA, Tatsuya EGUCHI, Takashi WATANABE, Masayuki WATANABE, Akinori KIMATA
  • Publication number: 20200084321
    Abstract: An image processing system includes: a mobile terminal; and a server apparatus, wherein the mobile terminal includes a camera, a display that displays an apparatus image of an image forming apparatus, a microphone that collects sound output from the image forming apparatus, and a first hardware processor that controls the camera, the microphone and the display, the server apparatus includes a second hardware processor that controls the server apparatus, the second hardware processor performs identifying a portion of the image forming apparatus, setting the portion identified as a sound collection target position, and clipping a partial image including the sound collection target position and representing an outline of a part of the image forming apparatus, from a main body image generated in advance as an image representing an outer shape of the image forming apparatus, and the display displays the partial image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Shiro UMEDA, Masayuki WATANABE, Takeshi ISHIDA, Akinori KIMATA, Takashi WATANABE, Kouei CHO
  • Patent number: 10313546
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for separating and conveying documents from a bundle of documents, causing the document to pass through a reading position, and reading an image from the document, includes: a reading translucent plate; a rotation member capable of rotating around a shaft; and a rotation driver that rotates the rotation member, wherein in the rotation member, each of: a cleaning member; a white reference area; and an end portion detection area is formed partially with regard to a circumferential direction, the cleaning member and the end portion detection area are arranged adjacent to each other, the rotation driver is arranged so that the end portion detection area faces an opposing surface, and the rotation member is rotated in a paper interval period from when a trailing edge of the document passes the reading position to when a leading edge of a subsequent document reaches the reading position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Watanabe, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Kiyohito Tsujihara, Akinori Kimata, Shiro Umeda, Kouei Cho
  • Patent number: 10175625
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus has a reference roller, a detection roller, and a detection sensor. The detection roller can move, and makes contact with the reference roller, facing the reference roller. The detection sensor outputs a signal corresponding to the displacement of the detection roller. The sheet is conveyed to a nip portion of the pair of rollers. At this time, the timing when an edge portion of the sheet being conveyed passes through the nip portion is detected. In response to the timing detected, the thickness of the sheet is detected, based on the signal output from the detection sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 16, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 8, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Takashi Watanabe, Akinori Kimata, Shiro Umeda