Patents by Inventor Hiroaki Fujikura
Hiroaki Fujikura 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: 11909931Abstract: A feeding device includes: a feeder that feeds a first medium disposed on a top of plural media loaded; a detector that detects at least one of a curved state and an inclination of the first medium and following media including a second medium disposed immediately below the first medium; and a modifier that modifies a condition related to a feeding operation of the feeder based on the at least one of the curved state and the inclination detected by the detector.Type: GrantFiled: September 23, 2022Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventors: Yohei Onoue, Hiroaki Fujikura, Yoshiyuki Kitazawa
-
Publication number: 20230312279Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a container member that accommodates sheet media, a discharging member located further than the media accommodated in the container member in a discharging direction in which the media are discharged, to discharge the media one by one, a hand-over member disposed above the container member to suck the media accommodated in the container member with air and pass the media to the discharging member, a floating device disposed on a side of the media accommodated in the container member to blow air to an upper area of a side end surface of the media to float the media while an upper portion of the media is separated, a detector that detects a separation state of the medium floated by the floating device, and a controller that controls a medium-feeding operation including a pre-feeding blowing operation and a during-feeding blowing operation, the pre-feeding blowing operation serving as an air blowing operation performed by the floating device before the medium is fed, and the duriType: ApplicationFiled: August 12, 2022Publication date: October 5, 2023Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventors: Hiroaki FUJIKURA, Yoshiyuki KITAZAWA, Yohei ONOUE
-
Publication number: 20230303351Abstract: A feeding device includes: a supply unit that supplies air to a space between a plurality of loaded media to float the media; a feeding unit that feeds out the media floated by the supply unit; and a detection unit that detects whether or not a medium bundle is present among the plurality of media in a state of being floated by the supply unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 3, 2023Publication date: September 28, 2023Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventors: Yoshiyuki KITAZAWA, Kenta OGATA, Kouhei YUKAWA, Masaru OKUTSU, Hiroaki FUJIKURA, Yohei ONOUE
-
Publication number: 20230303347Abstract: A feeding device includes: a supply unit that supplies air into space between plural media loaded to float the media; a feeder that adsorbs the media floated by the supply unit and feeds the media; a separator that supplies air to a second medium disposed immediately below a first medium adsorbed by the feeder to separate the second medium from the first medium; a detector that detects a position of at least one of the first medium and the second medium after air is supplied by the separator; and a modifier that modifies a condition related to a feeding operation of the feeder based a position detected by the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 21, 2022Publication date: September 28, 2023Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventors: Hiroaki FUJIKURA, Yoshiyuki KITAZAWA, Yohei ONOUE
-
Publication number: 20230308567Abstract: A feeding device includes: a feeder that feeds a first medium disposed on a top of plural media loaded; a detector that detects at least one of a curved state and an inclination of the first medium and following media including a second medium disposed immediately below the first medium; and a modifier that modifies a condition related to a feeding operation of the feeder based on the at least one of the curved state and the inclination detected by the detector.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 23, 2022Publication date: September 28, 2023Applicant: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventors: Yohei ONOUE, Hiroaki FUJIKURA, Yoshiyuki KITAZAWA
-
Patent number: 11155425Abstract: A sheet feed device includes: a tray provided in a device body in a manner capable of being pulled out and having a loading part that is moved up and down; an extension part attached to the device body to support a portion of a sheet to be fed through the tray; a lifting mechanism that has a lifting/lowering part for moving the loading part up and down and a driving part for lifting and holding the loading part via the lifting/lowering part; and a disconnecting part that disconnects the lifting/lowering part and the driving part when an uncoupling operation is accepted in a state in which the tray is accommodated in the device body.Type: GrantFiled: May 4, 2020Date of Patent: October 26, 2021Assignee: FUJIFILM Business Innovation Corp.Inventors: Hiroaki Fujikura, Masashi Ikeda
-
Publication number: 20210039898Abstract: A sheet feed device includes: a tray provided in a device body in a manner capable of being pulled out and having a loading part that is moved up and down; an extension part attached to the device body to support a portion of a sheet to be fed through the tray; a lifting mechanism that has a lifting/lowering part for moving the loading part up and down and a driving part for lifting and holding the loading part via the lifting/lowering part; and a disconnecting part that disconnects the lifting/lowering part and the driving part when an uncoupling operation is accepted in a state in which the tray is accommodated in the device body.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 4, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki FUJIKURA, Masashi IKEDA
-
Patent number: 9199812Abstract: Provided is a sheet feeding device including a first arrangement member that abuts an end portion in a width direction of a fed and stacked sheet material, arranges the width direction of the sheet material, and forms a first blown-out port, a second arrangement member that is mounted on the first arrangement member, is disposed in a sheet material side with respect to the first arrangement member, abuts an end portion in a width direction of a small sheet material having a narrower width than the sheet material arranged by the first arrangement member, arranges the width direction of the small sheet material, and forms a second blown-out port, and a passage member that forms a passage introducing the air blown out from the first blown-out port to the second blown-out port.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2014Date of Patent: December 1, 2015Assignee: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventor: Hiroaki Fujikura
-
Publication number: 20150217954Abstract: Provided is a sheet feeding device including a first arrangement member that abuts an end portion in a width direction of a fed and stacked sheet material, arranges the width direction of the sheet material, and forms a first blown-out port, a second arrangement member that is mounted on the first arrangement member, is disposed in a sheet material side with respect to the first arrangement member, abuts an end portion in a width direction of a small sheet material having a narrower width than the sheet material arranged by the first arrangement member, arranges the width direction of the small sheet material, and forms a second blown-out port, and a passage member that forms a passage introducing the air blown out from the first blown-out port to the second blown-out port.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 29, 2014Publication date: August 6, 2015Inventor: Hiroaki FUJIKURA
-
Patent number: 8662495Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a medium-accommodating container, a loading member supported within the container and loading a medium thereon, a holding member, and a blocking unit. The holding member has a holding member body, gas suction openings, a peripheral member, a chamber surrounded by the peripheral member, and a suction unit connected to the gas suction openings and performing gas suction. The holding member holds the medium by suction. The gas suction openings include a gas suction opening disposed inside an edge of the peripheral member and outside an edge of the medium. The blocking unit blocks the suction of gas through the aforementioned gas suction opening.Type: GrantFiled: April 9, 2012Date of Patent: March 4, 2014Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshiyuki Kitazawa, Hajime Yoshii, Hiroaki Fujikura
-
Publication number: 20140015191Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming section that forms an image on a recording material, and a feeder that feeds the recording material to the image forming section, wherein the feeder includes a recording material accommodating unit that accommodates recording materials, a suction device that sucks air, forming members that are provided with an opening formed close to the recording materials accommodated in the recording material accommodating unit, and form a negative-pressure space, which has negative pressure due to suction by the suction device, together with the recording material facing the opening, partition members that include edge portions formed close to the opening, are formed so as to extend from the edge portions toward the inside of the negative-pressure space, and partition the negative-pressure space into two or more spaces, and feeding members that feed the recording material pulled toward the forming members when the negative-pressure space has negative pressure.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 13, 2013Publication date: January 16, 2014Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventor: Hiroaki FUJIKURA
-
Patent number: 8608157Abstract: A medium feed device includes a suction member that sucks a medium on a stack member, a surrounding member supported movably in directions toward and away from the stack member together with the medium by suction, a stack-member moving mechanism, a suction-member moving mechanism, a transport member that transports the medium, a detected part associated with the surrounding member, a detecting part that is supported at the suction-member body and detects the detected part, a detector that detects a medium surface position based on a detection result of the detected part detected by the detecting part if the surrounding member moves toward the suction-member body from a state in which the medium contacts the surrounding member. The stack-member moving mechanism moves the stack member based on the medium surface position.Type: GrantFiled: November 14, 2011Date of Patent: December 17, 2013Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Fujikura, Hiroatsu Kazama
-
Patent number: 8387968Abstract: A recording-material-feeding device includes a stacking portion that holds a stack of recording materials, a lifting member that moves the stacking portion up and down between a feeding position at which a recording material is fed and a refilling position at which refill recording materials are supplied, a suction member that draws one or more recording materials by suction with a negative pressure, a negative-pressure-generating member that generates the negative pressure, and a stopping member that stops an edge of the stack of recording materials on the stacking portion and includes a sealing member that maintains the level of the negative pressure. The sealing member moves up and down between a retracted position at which refill recording materials are supplied and a sealing position at which the level of the negative pressure is maintained, the sealing member moving with the up-and-down movement of the stacking portion.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2011Date of Patent: March 5, 2013Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Hiroaki Fujikura, Yuji Otsuka
-
Publication number: 20130020755Abstract: A medium feeding device includes a medium-accommodating container, a loading member supported within the container and loading a medium thereon, a holding member, and a blocking unit. The holding member has a holding member body, gas suction openings, a peripheral member, a chamber surrounded by the peripheral member, and a suction unit connected to the gas suction openings and performing gas suction. The holding member holds the medium by suction. The gas suction openings include a gas suction opening disposed inside an edge of the peripheral member and outside an edge of the medium. The blocking unit blocks the suction of gas through the aforementioned gas suction opening.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 9, 2012Publication date: January 24, 2013Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Yoshiyuki KITAZAWA, Hajime YOSHII, Hiroaki FUJIKURA
-
Publication number: 20130001862Abstract: A medium feed device includes a suction member that sucks a medium on a stack member; a surrounding member supported movably in directions toward and away from the stack member together with the medium by suction; a stack-member moving mechanism; a suction-member moving mechanism; a transport member that transports the medium; a detected part associated with the surrounding member; a detecting part that is supported at the suction-member body and detects the detected part; a detector that detects a medium surface position based on a detection result of the detected part detected by the detecting part if the surrounding member moves toward the suction-member body from a state in which the medium contacts the surrounding member. The stack-member moving mechanism moves the stack member based on the medium surface position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 14, 2011Publication date: January 3, 2013Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki FUJIKURA, Hiroatsu KAZAMA
-
Publication number: 20120326380Abstract: A recording-material-feeding device includes a stacking portion that holds a stack of recording materials, a lifting member that moves the stacking portion up and down between a feeding position at which a recording material is fed and a refilling position at which refill recording materials are supplied, a suction member that draws one or more recording materials by suction with a negative pressure, a negative-pressure-generating member that generates the negative pressure, and a stopping member that stops an edge of the stack of recording materials on the stacking portion and includes a sealing member that maintains the level of the negative pressure. The sealing member moves up and down between a retracted position at which refill recording materials are supplied and a sealing position at which the level of the negative pressure is maintained, the sealing member moving with the up-and-down movement of the stacking portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2011Publication date: December 27, 2012Applicant: FUJI XEROX CO., LTD.Inventors: Hiroaki FUJIKURA, Yuji OTSUKA
-
Patent number: 8113501Abstract: A sheet supply device includes a sheet storing section on which sheets are stacked and are stored; a sheet feed unit controlled by a controller that feeds the sheets stored in the sheet storing section to a next process; and an air blower controlled by the controller that blows air to the sheets stored in the sheet storing section, the air blower has an air nozzle and a mechanism that can adjust a height of the air nozzle in an up-down direction, and the mechanism increases or decreases the air flow rate of the air being blown to the sheets, wherein a force provided by the air blower to push up the sheets is exerted on the sheets, such that a less force is exerted when the sheets are being fed compared to when the sheets are not being fed.Type: GrantFiled: November 30, 2007Date of Patent: February 14, 2012Assignee: Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd.Inventors: Nobutaka Uji, Hiroaki Fujikura
-
Publication number: 20080290589Abstract: A sheet supply device includes a sheet storing section on which sheets are stacked and are stored; a sheet feed unit controlled by a controller that feeds the sheets stored in the sheet storing section to a next process; and an air blower controlled by the controller that blows air to the sheets stored in the sheet storing section, the air blower has an air nozzle and a shutter that can adjust an area of the air nozzle, and the shutter increases or decreases the air flow rate of the air being blown to the sheets, wherein a force provided by the air blower to push up the sheets is exerted on the sheets, such that a less force is exerted when the sheets are being fed compared to when the sheets are not being fed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2007Publication date: November 27, 2008Inventors: Nobutaka Uji, Hiroaki Fujikura
-
Publication number: 20080290587Abstract: A sheet supply device includes a sheet storing section on which sheets are stacked and are stored; a sheet feed unit controlled by a controller that feeds the sheets stored in the sheet storing section to a next process; and an air blower controlled by the controller that blows air to the sheets stored in the sheet storing section, the air blower has an air nozzle and a mechanism that can adjust a height of the air nozzle in an up-down direction, and the mechanism increases or decreases the air flow rate of the air being blown to the sheets, wherein a force provided by the air blower to push up the sheets is exerted on the sheets, such that a less force is exerted when the sheets are being fed compared to when the sheets are not being fed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 30, 2007Publication date: November 27, 2008Inventors: Nobutaka Uji, Hiroaki Fujikura
-
Publication number: 20050285326Abstract: A sheet supply device has a sheet storing section on which sheets are stacked and stored, a sheet feed unit that feeds the sheets stored in the sheet storing section to a next process, and an air blower that blows air to the sheets stored in the sheet storing section. A force for pushing up the sheets, which is exerted on the sheets by the blown air, is set to be weaker when the sheets are being fed than when they are not being fed.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 9, 2005Publication date: December 29, 2005Inventors: Nobutaka Uji, Hiroaki Fujikura