Patents by Inventor Eri KUSANO

Eri KUSANO 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: 9213300
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, the charging bias supply circuit generates a second charging bias voltage that causes no positive discharge between the charging unit and the photoreceptor drum, during a recovery mode, the charging unit charges the surface of the photoreceptor drum upon application of the second charging bias voltage during the recovery mode, and the cleaning unit rubs the surface of the photoreceptor drum charged by the second charging bias voltage, during the recovery mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 15, 2015
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuniaki Kashiwakura, Noritoshi Hagimoto, Hokuto Hatano, Eri Kusano
  • Publication number: 20140099132
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, the charging bias supply circuit generates a second charging bias voltage that causes no positive discharge between the charging unit and the photoreceptor drum, during a recovery mode, the charging unit charges the surface of the photoreceptor drum upon application of the second charging bias voltage during the recovery mode, and the cleaning unit rubs the surface of the photoreceptor drum charged by the second charging bias voltage, during the recovery mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2013
    Publication date: April 10, 2014
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kuniaki KASHIWAKURA, Noritoshi Hagimoto, Hokuto Hatano, Eri Kusano
  • Patent number: 8564839
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus selects a screen from a plurality of screens corresponding respectively to a plurality of gradation values and each including a pattern in which a first region to which toner is to adhere and a second region to which toner is not to adhere are defined, and forms a toner image on media. The apparatus includes a storage device for storing a minimum formable distance between first regions or second regions adjacent to each other, and a controller calculating a distance between the first regions or second regions adjacent to each other in the screen and, when the distance of the region of a screen that corresponds to a gradation value of an input image and has a first pattern is smaller than the minimum formable distance, selecting a screen corresponding to the gradation value of the input image and having a second pattern.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Naotoshi Kawai, Tomohiro Kato, Eri Kusano
  • Patent number: 8559083
    Abstract: A first screen group and a second screen group are stored in an image forming apparatus. In the first screen group, the first region expands with increasing gradation value based on a first rule. In the second screen group, the first region expands with increasing gradation value based on an independent second rule different from the first rule. A screen selector relocates a first portion and a second portion such that the first portion and the second portion are joined by a second region that is not a toner adhesion control target, when the first portion and the second portion are adjacent as a result of the selection of the screen in each unit region of the input image. The first portion includes the screen included in the first screen group, and the second portion includes the screen included in the second screen group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kato, Naotoshi Kawai, Tomoyuki Imura, Eri Kusano
  • Publication number: 20120086954
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus selects a screen from a plurality of screens corresponding respectively to a plurality of gradation values and each including a pattern in which a first region to which toner is to adhere and a second region to which toner is not to adhere are defined, and forms a toner image on media. The apparatus includes a storage device for storing a minimum formable distance between first regions or second regions adjacent to each other, and a controller calculating a distance between the first regions or second regions adjacent to each other in the screen and, when the distance of the region of a screen that corresponds to a gradation value of an input image and has a first pattern is smaller than the minimum formable distance, selecting a screen corresponding to the gradation value of the input image and having a second pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 23, 2011
    Publication date: April 12, 2012
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Naotoshi Kawai, Tomohiro Kato, Eri Kusano
  • Publication number: 20110249277
    Abstract: A first screen group and a second screen group are stored in an image forming apparatus. In the first screen group, the first region expands with increasing gradation value based on a first rule. In the second screen group, the first region expands with increasing gradation value based on an independent second rule different from the first rule. A screen selector relocates a first portion and a second portion such that the first portion and the second portion are joined by a second region that is not a toner adhesion control target, when the first portion and the second portion are adjacent as a result of the selection of the screen in each unit region of the input image. The first portion includes the screen included in the first screen group, and the second portion includes the screen included in the second screen group.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 29, 2011
    Publication date: October 13, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Tomohiro KATO, Naotoshi KAWAI, Tomoyuki IMURA, Eri KUSANO