Patents by Inventor Atsuhiro Wakimoto

Atsuhiro Wakimoto 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: 9285708
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case, an opening/closing member, a lever member, a drive transmission mechanism, and a biasing member. The toner case is attached to an apparatus main body. The opening/closing member opens and closes a toner discharge outlet formed in the toner case. The lever member is operated between a first operation position and a second operation position for the opening/closing member to be moved to a closing position corresponding to the first operation position or to an opening position corresponding to the second operation position. The drive transmission mechanism transmits, to the opening/closing member, a driving force input by operation of the lever member. The biasing member biases the opening/closing member toward the closing position when the lever member is at the first operation position, and biases the opening/closing member toward the opening position when the lever member is at the second operation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 15, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: 9229425
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus including: attachment portion which is provided in apparatus main body and in which support plates are disposed to face each other; and replacement member which is supported between support plates of attachment portion in attachable/detachable manner. Replacement member includes first contact portion which is provided on side surface that faces one support plate and is electrically conductive when contacted with one support plate. Attachment portion includes second contact portion and support portion. Second contact portion is provided on one support plate and is electrically connected with first contact portion upon contact with it. Support portion, during attachment operation in which replacement member is attached to attachment portion, is engaged with replacement member and allows first contact portion to be moved to predetermined set position at which first contact portion is in contact with second contact portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2016
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Publication number: 20150378279
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case, an opening/closing member, a lever member, a drive transmission mechanism, and a biasing member. The toner case is attached to an apparatus main body. The opening/closing member opens and closes a toner discharge outlet formed in the toner case. The lever member is operated between a first operation position and a second operation position for the opening/closing member to be moved to a closing position corresponding to the first operation position or to an opening position corresponding to the second operation position. The drive transmission mechanism transmits, to the opening/closing member, a driving force input by operation of the lever member. The biasing member biases the opening/closing member toward the closing position when the lever member is at the first operation position, and biases the opening/closing member toward the opening position when the lever member is at the second operation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2015
    Publication date: December 31, 2015
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: 9182702
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner container. The toner container includes an opening/closing portion and an operation portion. The image forming apparatus includes a drive transmission portion and a detection portion. When the lever of the operation portion is swingingly operated, the operation driving force of the operation is transmitted to the opening/closing portion via a first rotation portion and a second rotation portion. This allows a shutter cylinder to move from a closing position to an opening position. In addition, when the second rotation portion is rotated, a detected bar of the detection portion moves from a second position to a first position. The detection portion detects that a toner discharge outlet is opened, by detecting that the detected bar has moved to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Publication number: 20150227079
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner container. The toner container includes an opening/closing portion and an operation portion. The image forming apparatus includes a drive transmission portion and a detection portion. When the lever of the operation portion is swingingly operated, the operation driving force of the operation is transmitted to the opening/closing portion via a first rotation portion and a second rotation portion. This allows a shutter cylinder to move from a closing position to an opening position. In addition, when the second rotation portion is rotated, a detected bar of the detection portion moves from a second position to a first position. The detection portion detects that a toner discharge outlet is opened, by detecting that the detected bar has moved to the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 9, 2015
    Publication date: August 13, 2015
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Publication number: 20150212482
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus including: attachment portion which is provided in apparatus main body and in which support plates are disposed to face each other; and replacement member which is supported between support plates of attachment portion in attachable/detachable manner. Replacement member includes first contact portion which is provided on side surface that faces one support plate and is electrically conductive when contacted with one support plate. Attachment portion includes second contact portion and support portion. Second contact portion is provided on one support plate and is electrically connected with first contact portion upon contact with it. Support portion, during attachment operation in which replacement member is attached to attachment portion, is engaged with replacement member and allows first contact portion to be moved to predetermined set position at which first contact portion is in contact with second contact portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 22, 2015
    Publication date: July 30, 2015
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: 8983343
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case and an installed part. The toner case includes a discharge port discharging a toner. To the installed part, the toner case is detachably installed. On the circumference of the toner case, a locking piece is provided. The installed part includes a locking member covering at least a part of the circumference of the toner case. The locking member has an insertion depression, an engaging piece and a biasing member. The insertion depression is arranged along an installing direction of the toner case and is capable of insertion of the locking piece. The engaging piece moves between a protrusive position protruded to the insertion depression at predetermined length and a withdrawn position withdrawn further than the protrusive position from the insertion depression in intersecting directions with the installing direction. The biasing member biases the engaging piece to the protrusive position side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 17, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: 8977170
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case containing a toner and an installed member in which the toner case is installed. The toner case has a case main body in which rotating members are installed, and a following coupling. The case main body has a discharge port discharging the toner. The following coupling is connected to the rotating member and has a pressured part. The installed member has a drive coupling and a drive source rotating the drive coupling. The drive coupling is linked to the following coupling and has a pressuring part. The drive coupling and following coupling are rotated in the same rotation direction around the same rotation axis by pressuring the pressured part by the pressuring part. The pressured part is provided so as to come close to the rotation axis from an upper stream side to a lower stream side in the rotation direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Publication number: 20140086639
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case containing a toner and an installed member in which the toner case is installed. The toner case has a case main body in which rotating members are installed, and a following coupling. The case main body has a discharge port discharging the toner. The following coupling is connected to the rotating member and has a pressured part. The installed member has a drive coupling and a drive source rotating the drive coupling. The drive coupling is linked to the following coupling and has a pressuring part. The drive coupling and following coupling are rotated in the same rotation direction around the same rotation axis by pressuring the pressured part by the pressuring part. The pressured part is provided so as to come close to the rotation axis from an upper stream side to a lower stream side in the rotation direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 20, 2013
    Publication date: March 27, 2014
    Applicant: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro WAKIMOTO
  • Publication number: 20130279943
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a toner case and an installed part. The toner case includes a discharge port discharging a toner. To the installed part, the toner case is detachably installed. On the circumference of the toner case, a locking piece is provided. The installed part includes a locking member covering at least a part of the circumference of the toner case. The locking member has an insertion depression, an engaging piece and a biasing member. The insertion depression is arranged along an installing direction of the toner case and is capable of insertion of the locking piece. The engaging piece moves between a protrusive position protruded to the insertion depression at predetermined length and a withdrawn position withdrawn further than the protrusive position from the insertion depression in intersecting directions with the installing direction. The biasing member biases the engaging piece to the protrusive position side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2013
    Publication date: October 24, 2013
    Applicant: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro WAKIMOTO
  • Patent number: 8457542
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an opening/closing mechanism for opening a lid member when a toner collecting portion including a waste toner bottle and the lid member for the waste toner bottle is mounted into an apparatus main body while closing the lid member when the toner collecting portion is removed from the apparatus main body. The opening/closing mechanism includes a first contact portion provided in a toner discharging portion for discharging toner for rotating the lid member in a first direction by coming into contact with the lid member when the toner collecting portion is mounted into the apparatus main body, and a second contact portion mounted in the apparatus main body for rotating the lid member in a second direction by coming into contact with the lid member when the toner collecting portion is removed from the apparatus main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Mita Corporation
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Publication number: 20120051817
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an opening/closing mechanism for opening a lid member when a toner collecting portion including a waste toner bottle and the lid member for the waste toner bottle is mounted into an apparatus main body while closing the lid member when the toner collecting portion is removed from the apparatus main body. The opening/closing mechanism includes a first contact portion provided in a toner discharging portion for discharging toner for rotating the lid member in a first direction by coming into contact with the lid member when the toner collecting portion is mounted into the apparatus main body, and a second contact portion mounted in the apparatus main body for rotating the lid member in a second direction by coming into contact with the lid member when the toner collecting portion is removed from the apparatus main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 22, 2011
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Applicant: KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: D687091
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2013
    Assignee: Kyocera Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: D697549
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: D707751
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto
  • Patent number: D707752
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions, Inc.
    Inventor: Atsuhiro Wakimoto