Patents by Inventor Gen Kitamura
Gen Kitamura 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).
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Publication number: 20230384713Abstract: A toner container includes a shutter and a seal. The shutter is pushed by a nozzle of the image forming apparatus in conjunction with a movement of the toner container in an installation direction to the image forming apparatus. The shutter causes the nozzle to insert into the toner container and communicates the nozzle with the toner container via an opening on a circumferential surface of the nozzle. The seal covers a circumferential surface of the shutter in a close state in which the shutter is not pushed by the nozzle and slidingly contacts the circumferential surface of the shutter and the circumferential surface of the nozzle during an opening operation in which the shutter is pushed by the nozzle. A length of the seal in the installation direction is longer than a length of the opening of the nozzle in the installation direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 4, 2021Publication date: November 30, 2023Inventors: Takashi UESUGI, Gen KITAMURA, Seiji TERAZAWA
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Patent number: 11743563Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of improving heat dissipation while reducing a cost and securing reliability of flange back. The image pickup apparatus includes a lens mount to which a lens unit is attachable, and a housing that is formed by inserting a metal member into a resin member and that has a mount portion to which the lens mount is attached. The metal member has a first planar portion that is perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens unit and a second planar portion including at least one planar plate that is bent in an optical axis direction from the first planar portion. The at least one planar plate is inserted into the mount portion.Type: GrantFiled: April 12, 2022Date of Patent: August 29, 2023Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shimpei Ishikawa, Gen Kitamura, Dai Naito
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Patent number: 11599041Abstract: A powder container includes a container body to store powder. The container body includes an inner peripheral surface of a spiral shape and rotates around a longitudinal axis to convey the powder by the spiral shape in one direction. The inner peripheral surface has a substantially polygonal shape having rounded corners or a shape in which sides of the substantially polygonal shape are recessed, in cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the longitudinal axis at a predetermined position. The inner peripheral surface has a region in which the cross-sectional shape at a position shifted from the predetermined position by a predetermined amount within one pitch of the spiral shape in the longitudinal direction is a shape obtained by rotating the substantially polygonal shape having the rounded corners or the shape in which the sides of the substantially polygonal shape are recessed, around the longitudinal axis.Type: GrantFiled: March 15, 2022Date of Patent: March 7, 2023Assignee: RICOH COMPANY, LTD.Inventor: Gen Kitamura
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Publication number: 20220353397Abstract: An image pickup apparatus that is capable of improving heat dissipation while reducing a cost and securing reliability of flange back. The image pickup apparatus includes a lens mount to which a lens unit is attachable, and a housing that is formed by inserting a metal member into a resin member and that has a mount portion to which the lens mount is attached. The metal member has a first planar portion that is perpendicular to an optical axis of the lens unit and a second planar portion including at least one planar plate that is bent in an optical axis direction from the first planar portion. The at least one planar plate is inserted into the mount portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 12, 2022Publication date: November 3, 2022Inventors: Shimpei Ishikawa, Gen Kitamura, Dai Naito
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Publication number: 20220317592Abstract: A powder container includes a container body to store powder. The container body includes an inner peripheral surface of a spiral shape and rotates around a longitudinal axis to convey the powder by the spiral shape in one direction. The inner peripheral surface has a substantially polygonal shape having rounded corners or a shape in which sides of the substantially polygonal shape are recessed, in cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the longitudinal axis at a predetermined position. The inner peripheral surface has a region in which the cross-sectional shape at a position shifted from the predetermined position by a predetermined amount within one pitch of the spiral shape in the longitudinal direction is a shape obtained by rotating the substantially polygonal shape having the rounded corners or the shape in which the sides of the substantially polygonal shape are recessed, around the longitudinal axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 15, 2022Publication date: October 6, 2022Inventor: Gen KITAMURA
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Patent number: 11381735Abstract: An electronic device according to the present invention, includes: at least one image sensor configured to be able of capturing an image of a first capturing range and an image of a second capturing range different from the first capturing range; and at least one memory and at least one processor which function as: a control unit configured to control to in response to an operation on a first position on a side, which is oriented in a first direction, of the electronic device, capture an image of the first capturing range by the at least one image sensor, and in response to an operation on a second position on a side, which is oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, of the electronic device, capture an image of the second capturing range by the at least one image sensor.Type: GrantFiled: March 2, 2021Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Honkai Tomimoto, Gen Kitamura, Hirotsugu Noda
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Publication number: 20210281740Abstract: An electronic device according to the present invention, includes: at least one image sensor configured to be able of capturing an image of a first capturing range and an image of a second capturing range different from the first capturing range; and at least one memory and at least one processor which function as: a control unit configured to control to in response to an operation on a first position on a side, which is oriented in a first direction, of the electronic device, capture an image of the first capturing range by the at least one image sensor, and in response to an operation on a second position on a side, which is oriented in a second direction different from the first direction, of the electronic device, capture an image of the second capturing range by the at least one image sensor.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 2, 2021Publication date: September 9, 2021Inventors: Honkai Tomimoto, Gen Kitamura, Hirotsugu Noda
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Patent number: 11022862Abstract: An imaging system includes a movable body and a fixed body. In movable body, an imaging device capable of changing an imaging direction is provided. In the fixed body, a circular rail member is provided. The fixed body supports the rail member to be rotatable along the rail member.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2019Date of Patent: June 1, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Gen Kitamura, Honkai Tomimoto, Hirotsugu Noda, Hitoshi Kawahara, Tatsuya Otoshi
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Patent number: 10845732Abstract: A toner container includes a shutter to open and close an opening into which the nozzle is inserted, a guide rod provided together with the shutter, and a compression spring that urges the shutter in the closing direction. Further, the toner container includes a holder including a holding portion including at least two portions to support the guide rod movably in an opening and closing direction, a fitting portion having the opening, to fit into a container body, and a bridge portion to connect the holding portion and the fitting portion. A circumferential area around the guide rod and the compression spring that faces the bridge portion is smaller than a circumferential area around the guide rod and the compression spring that does not face the bridge portion. the shutter and the guide rod (or the nozzle) moves smoothly in the opening and closing direction.Type: GrantFiled: May 2, 2018Date of Patent: November 24, 2020Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.Inventors: Gen Kitamura, Seiji Terazawa, Yasushi Tanaka
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Publication number: 20200192243Abstract: A toner container includes a shutter to open and close an opening into which the nozzle is inserted, a guide rod provided together with the shutter, and a compression spring that urges the shutter in the closing direction. Further, the toner container includes a holder including a holding portion including at least two portions to support the guide rod movably in an opening and closing direction, a fitting portion having the opening, to fit into a container body, and a bridge portion to connect the holding portion and the fitting portion. A circumferential area around the guide rod and the compression spring that faces the bridge portion is smaller than a circumferential area around the guide rod and the compression spring that does not face the bridge portion. the shutter and the guide rod (or the nozzle) moves smoothly in the opening and closing direction.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 2, 2018Publication date: June 18, 2020Inventors: Gen KITAMURA, Seiji TERAZAWA
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Publication number: 20200064714Abstract: An imaging system includes a movable body and a fixed body. In movable body, an imaging device capable of changing an imaging direction is provided. In the fixed body, a circular rail member is provided. The fixed body supports the rail member to be rotatable along the rail member.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2019Publication date: February 27, 2020Inventors: Gen Kitamura, Honkai Tomimoto, Hirotsugu Noda, Hitoshi Kawahara, Tatsuya Otoshi
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Patent number: 8657281Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus has a sheet accommodating unit for accommodating a sheet, the sheet accommodating unit being detachably mountable to the apparatus; a feeding unit for feeding the sheet from the sheet accommodating unit; a press-contact device for press-contacting the sheet in the sheet accommodating unit to the feeding unit; a guiding member provided in the sheet feeding apparatus for guiding the sheet accommodating unit such that sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating unit is not contacted to the feeding unit when the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus; a moving device for moving the guiding member to bring the sheet into contact to the feeding unit after the sheet accommodating unit is mounted to the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 8, 2009Date of Patent: February 25, 2014Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hitoshi Nishitani, Gen Kitamura
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Patent number: 8456500Abstract: A printing apparatus including a head holding unit movably configured to hold a thermal head so that the thermal head can be in a pressing state pressing against a platen and in a separated state separated from the platen, a conveyance mechanism configured to convey an ink ribbon and a recording sheet which are put on each other to a recording region between the thermal head and the platen, a reflection surface provided on the head holding unit, and a ribbon sensor configured to detect a marker applied on the ink ribbon, the ribbon sensor being provided on an opposite side to the reflection surface across a path of the ink ribbon which has passed through the recording region and been peeled from the recording sheet. The ribbon sensor includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The reflection surface is configured so that light incident from the light emitting element reaches the light receiving element in both the separated state and the pressing state.Type: GrantFiled: October 21, 2010Date of Patent: June 4, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Gen Kitamura
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Patent number: 8363078Abstract: A printing apparatus which is capable of performing excellent printing without leaving a conveying roller mark on roll paper for printing of a next image even when the operation of the apparatus is stopped for cooling. A thermal head performs printing by sequentially transferring a plurality of color inks coated on an ink ribbon onto the roll paper drawn out from a cartridge, in superimposed relation. The roll paper is conveyed in a state nipped by a conveying roller pair. A thermistor detects a temperature within the apparatus. After completion of printing in one color, the roll paper is conveyed to a print start position at a first conveying speed, for execution of printing in another color. When the detected temperature is higher than a predetermined value, the roll paper is conveyed to the print start position at a second conveying speed which is slower than the first conveying speed.Type: GrantFiled: March 16, 2009Date of Patent: January 29, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Gen Kitamura
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Patent number: 8317419Abstract: An ink ribbon cassette is inserted into and removed from a thermal transfer printer in the longitudinal direction of the thermal head. The thermal head is provided with a lifting member, while the ink ribbon cassette is provided with a contact element. The lifting member and the contact element of the ink ribbon cassette are configured to be in contact with each other during insertion and removal of the ink ribbon cassette, and thereby lift the thermal head to widen the space for the ink sheet to pass through.Type: GrantFiled: March 9, 2007Date of Patent: November 27, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Gen Kitamura, Hitoshi Nishitani
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Patent number: 8147157Abstract: A cartridge, detachably attached to a recording apparatus, includes a recording sheet container. The recording apparatus includes a sheet turning device. When a recording sheet is conveyed from the cartridge to an image forming section, the sheet turning device turns the recording sheet around an axis parallel to a normal line to the recording surface of the recording sheet. The longitudinal direction of the recording sheets contained in the recording sheet container is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the recording sheet being subjected to recording in the image forming section.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2006Date of Patent: April 3, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabishiki KaishaInventors: Hideki Kawashima, Kenji Ito, Hitoshi Nishitani, Gen Kitamura
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Publication number: 20110122214Abstract: A printing apparatus including a head holding unit movably configured to hold a thermal head so that the thermal head can be in a pressing state pressing against a platen and in a separated state separated from the platen, a conveyance mechanism configured to convey an ink ribbon and a recording sheet which are put on each other to a recording region between the thermal head and the platen, a reflection surface provided on the head holding unit, and a ribbon sensor configured to detect a marker applied on the ink ribbon, the ribbon sensor being provided on an opposite side to the reflection surface across a path of the ink ribbon which has passed through the recording region and been peeled from the recording sheet. The ribbon sensor includes a light emitting element and a light receiving element. The reflection surface is configured so that light incident from the light emitting element reaches the light receiving element in both the separated state and the pressing state.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 21, 2010Publication date: May 26, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Gen Kitamura
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Publication number: 20110012979Abstract: A printing apparatus which is capable of performing excellent printing without leaving a conveying roller mark on roll paper for printing of a next image even when the operation of the apparatus is stopped for cooling. A thermal head performs printing by sequentially transferring a plurality of color inks coated on an ink ribbon onto the roll paper drawn out from a cartridge, in superimposed relation. The roll paper is conveyed in a state nipped by a conveying roller pair. A thermistor detects a temperature within the apparatus. After completion of printing in one color, the roll paper is conveyed to a print start position at a first conveying speed, for execution of printing in another color. When the detected temperature is higher than a predetermined value, the roll paper is conveyed to the print start position at a second conveying speed which is slower than the first conveying speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 16, 2009Publication date: January 20, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Gen Kitamura
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Patent number: 7589753Abstract: A printer and a method of controlling the printer. The printer includes a color ink ribbon and a thermal head for forming images on recording sheets and an accommodating portion accommodating the ink ribbon and the thermal head therein. The printer includes several paths for conveying the recording sheet including a circular path around the accommodating portion. Depending on the length of the recording sheet, the printer conveys the recording sheet along one of the several paths during a printing operation.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2006Date of Patent: September 15, 2009Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Gen Kitamura
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Publication number: 20090218755Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes sheet accommodating means for accommodating a sheet, the sheet accommodating means being detachably mountable to the apparatus; feeding means for feeding the sheet from the sheet accommodating means; press-contact means for press-contacting the sheet in the sheet accommodating means to the feeding means; a guiding member for guiding the sheet accommodating means such that sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating means is not contacted to the feeding means when the sheet accommodating means is mounted to the apparatus; moving means for moving the guiding member to bring the sheet into contact to the feeding means after the sheet accommodating means is mounted to the apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 8, 2009Publication date: September 3, 2009Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Hitoshi NISHITANI, Gen KITAMURA