Patents by Inventor Akitoshi Toyota

Akitoshi Toyota 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: 11947305
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Publication number: 20240045368
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat and pressurize the sheet bearing the toner image to fix the toner image to the sheet, a shutter provided to be movable to an open position at which the shutter opens an opening that the sheet being conveyed toward the fixing portion is able to pass through, and a closed position at which the shutter closes the opening, an urging portion configured to urge the shutter toward the open position, and an abutment portion that the shutter urged toward the open position by the urging portion abuts to be positioned at the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 16, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Inventor: Akitoshi Toyota
  • Publication number: 20240036497
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion that accommodates developer and a replenishment port, an agitation member, an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position, a drive source for driving the agitation member, and a control portion configured to control the drive source. The apparatus is configured such that image formation is not possible when the opening/closing member is at the open position, and the agitation member is capable of driving in a case where the opening/closing member is at the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 6, 2023
    Publication date: February 1, 2024
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masaaki Sato, Hiroshi Takarada, Koji Fujinaka, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11852988
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a tubular body defining a space in which at least a part of the exposure device is contained, and a support portion that supports the exposure device and is provided along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive member in the space of the tubular body. The image forming apparatus further includes, in the rotation axis direction, a first side plate fixed to one end portion of the tubular body, and a second side plate fixed to another end portion of the tubular body. One support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the first side plate, and another support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the second side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 26, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Yamamoto, Akira Yoshimura, Shogo Nagamine, Naoki Matsushita, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Hisanori Kobayashi, Takatoshi Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Hiroki Katayama, Akitoshi Toyota
  • Patent number: 11846894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to accommodate developer containing toner, a developer bearing member to rotate while bearing the developer accommodated in the developer container and develop the electrostatic latent image borne on an image bearing member into a developer image, a detection portion to output remainder amount information corresponding to an amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container, and a notification portion capable of notifying a first state indicating that a remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is a first amount or more and a second state indicating that the remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is less than the first amount. The notification portion notifies one of a plurality of states including the first state and the second state on a basis of the remainder amount information output from the detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11822282
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat and pressurize the sheet bearing the toner image to fix the toner image to the sheet, a shutter provided to be movable to an open position at which the shutter opens an opening that the sheet being conveyed toward the fixing portion is able to pass through, and a closed position at which the shutter closes the opening, an urging portion configured to urge the shutter toward the open position, and an abutment portion that the shutter urged toward the open position by the urging portion abuts to be positioned at the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Akitoshi Toyota
  • Patent number: 11809095
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion that accommodates developer and a replenishment port, an agitation member, an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position, a drive source for driving the agitation member, and a control portion configured to control the drive source. The apparatus is configured such that image formation is not possible when the opening/closing member is at the open position, and the agitation member is capable of driving in a case where the opening/closing member is at the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Date of Patent: November 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masaaki Sato, Hiroshi Takarada, Koji Fujinaka, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Susumu Nittani
  • Publication number: 20230078527
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Publication number: 20230082752
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a sheet, a fixing portion configured to heat and pressurize the sheet bearing the toner image to fix the toner image to the sheet, a shutter provided to be movable to an open position at which the shutter opens an opening that the sheet being conveyed toward the fixing portion is able to pass through, and a closed position at which the shutter closes the opening, an urging portion configured to urge the shutter toward the open position, and an abutment portion that the shutter urged toward the open position by the urging portion abuts to be positioned at the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2022
    Publication date: March 16, 2023
    Inventor: Akitoshi Toyota
  • Publication number: 20230026290
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion that accommodates developer and a replenishment port, an agitation member, an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position, a drive source for driving the agitation member, and a control portion configured to control the drive source. The apparatus is configured such that image formation is not possible when the opening/closing member is at the open position, and the agitation member is capable of driving in a case where the opening/closing member is at the open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 15, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masaaki Sato, Hiroshi Takarada, Koji Fujinaka, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11556088
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Publication number: 20220404735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to accommodate developer containing toner, a developer bearing member to rotate while bearing the developer accommodated in the developer container and develop the electrostatic latent image borne on an image bearing member into a developer image, a detection portion to output remainder amount information corresponding to an amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container, and a notification portion capable of notifying a first state indicating that a remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is a first amount or more and a second state indicating that the remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is less than the first amount. The notification portion notifies one of a plurality of states including the first state and the second state on a basis of the remainder amount information output from the detection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11487222
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which the replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion that accommodates developer and a replenishment port, an agitation member, an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position and an open position, a drive source for driving the agitation member, and a control portion configured to control the drive source. The apparatus is configured such that image formation is not possible when the opening/closing member is at the open position, and the agitation member is capable of driving in a case where the opening/closing member is at the open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Masaaki Sato, Hiroshi Takarada, Koji Fujinaka, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11467514
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container having a replenishment port, a developer bearing member, a detection portion configured to output remainder amount information corresponding to the amount of developer accommodated in the developer container, a notification portion capable of notifying a first state, and a second state, and a control portion. The maximum amount of the developer that the developer container is capable of accommodating is larger than a value obtained by adding the amount of the developer accommodated in a replenishment container containing the developer for replenishment to the first amount, and wherein notification of the second state corresponds to notification of a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is larger than a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is the smallest.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2022
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Publication number: 20220260938
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a tubular body defining a space in which at least a part of the exposure device is contained, and a support portion that supports the exposure device and is provided along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive member in the space of the tubular body. The image forming apparatus further includes, in the rotation axis direction, a first side plate fixed to one end portion of the tubular body, and a second side plate fixed to another end portion of the tubular body. One support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the first side plate, and another support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the second side plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Publication date: August 18, 2022
    Inventors: Shoji Yamamoto, Akira Yoshimura, Shogo Nagamine, Naoki Matsushita, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Hisanori Kobayashi, Takatoshi Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Hiroki Katayama, Akitoshi Toyota
  • Patent number: 11353805
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a tubular body defining a space in which at least a part of the exposure device is contained, and a support portion that supports the exposure device and is provided along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive member in the space of the tubular body. The image forming apparatus further includes, in the rotation axis direction, a first side plate fixed to one end portion of the tubular body, and a second side plate fixed to another end portion of the tubular body. One support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the first side plate, and another support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the second side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Yamamoto, Akira Yoshimura, Shogo Nagamine, Naoki Matsushita, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Hisanori Kobayashi, Takatoshi Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Hiroki Katayama, Akitoshi Toyota
  • Publication number: 20210405552
    Abstract: An apparatus includes an image bearing member, a developer container having a replenishment port, a developer bearing member, a detection portion configured to output remainder amount information corresponding to the amount of developer accommodated in the developer container, a notification portion capable of notifying a first state, and a second state, and a control portion, wherein the maximum amount of the developer that the developer container is capable of accommodating is larger than a value obtained by adding the amount of the developer accommodated in a replenishment container containing the developer for replenishment to the first amount, and wherein notification of the second state corresponds to notification of a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is larger than a case where the amount of the developer remaining in the developer container is the smallest.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 10, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Publication number: 20210405577
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable and which includes an accommodating portion and a replenishment port, a transfer portion configured to transfer a developer image on an image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface configured to support the recording material thereon, and a discharge portion configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting surface has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: Tomio Noguchi, Masaaki Sato, Kenji Matsuzaka, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Akitoshi Toyota, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida
  • Publication number: 20210255562
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a tubular body defining a space in which at least a part of the exposure device is contained, and a support portion that supports the exposure device and is provided along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive member in the space of the tubular body. The image forming apparatus further includes, in the rotation axis direction, a first side plate fixed to one end portion of the tubular body, and a second side plate fixed to another end portion of the tubular body. One support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the first side plate, and another support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the second side plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 3, 2021
    Publication date: August 19, 2021
    Inventors: Shoji Yamamoto, Akira Yoshimura, Shogo Nagamine, Naoki Matsushita, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Hisanori Kobayashi, Takatoshi Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Hiroki Katayama, Akitoshi Toyota
  • Patent number: 11022908
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus to form an image on a recording material includes a photosensitive member, an exposure device to form a latent image on the photosensitive member, a tubular body defining a space in which at least a part of the exposure device is contained, and a support portion that supports the exposure device and is provided along a rotation axis direction of the photosensitive member in the space of the tubular body. The image forming apparatus further includes, in the rotation axis direction, a first side plate fixed to one end portion of the tubular body, and a second side plate fixed to another end portion of the tubular body. One support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the first side plate, and another support portion end portion in the rotation axis direction is fixed to the second side plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: June 1, 2021
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Shoji Yamamoto, Akira Yoshimura, Shogo Nagamine, Naoki Matsushita, Yoshihiko Tanaka, Hisanori Kobayashi, Takatoshi Tanaka, Mitsuhiro Ohta, Hiroki Katayama, Akitoshi Toyota