Patents by Inventor Hirofumi Tsuji
Hirofumi Tsuji 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: 20240310756Abstract: A developing device includes a developer container, a developer carrier, and a stirring/conveying member. The developer container includes: a lower housing having a first accommodating portion and a first edge portion formed in a top end portion of it; and an upper housing having a second accommodating portion and a second edge portion formed in a bottom end portion of it. The first edge portion has a depression extending along the first edge portion, a first contact face formed inward of the depression, and a first opposite face formed outward of the depression. The second edge portion has an elevation inserted in the depression, a second contact face making contact with the first contact face, and a second opposite face facing the first opposite face. When the first and second contact faces are in contact, the first and second opposite faces face each other across a predetermined interval.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 8, 2024Publication date: September 19, 2024Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Masahiro UENO, Hirofumi TSUJI
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Patent number: 12060241Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying passage and a switching guide. The switching guide switches the sheet conveying passage between first and second sheet conveying passages. The switching guide includes a plurality of guide ribs and guide members. The plurality of guide ribs are disposed at intervals in the sheet width direction and extend in the sheet conveying direction. The guide members are fitted to specific guide ribs selected from the plurality of guide ribs. The plurality of guide ribs have first and second guide surfaces that guide the sheet. The guide members are formed of a material having higher slidability than the plurality of guide ribs, and have third guide surfaces that are disposed at positions protruding further to an inner side of the sheet conveying passage than the first or second guide surfaces.Type: GrantFiled: October 19, 2022Date of Patent: August 13, 2024Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hirofumi Tsuji, Shikitaro Ogawa
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Patent number: 11906922Abstract: A sorting device includes a base portion and a tray portion. The tray portion is supported on the base portion to be reciprocatable between a first shift position, where the tray portion is located at one side in the sheet width direction, and a second shift position, where the tray portion is located at the other side in the sheet width direction. The tray portion has a cutout portion. The cutout portion is formed by cutting away, with a predetermined width, an end part of the tray portion in the sheet width direction inward across the tray portion. With the tray portion at the second shift position, the cutout portion is located below one side end edge of the sheet in the sheet width direction, of sheets stacked on the tray portion.Type: GrantFiled: July 30, 2021Date of Patent: February 20, 2024Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Tomoyasu Yamada, Hirofumi Tsuji
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Patent number: 11693336Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a case storing toner; a conveyance member rotatably supported at both ends by the case, including a spiral blade extending along a rotational axis, and configured to rotate to convey the toner inside the case in a predetermined conveying direction; and a pushing member pushed against an outer peripheral portion of the conveyance member in a first direction intersecting with the rotational axis and configured to slide on the outer peripheral portion as the conveyance member rotates. The pushing member is composed of a flexible sheet member and includes a base portion secured at a securing position inside the case and protruding pieces aligned along the rotational axis and protruding from the base portion toward the conveyance member to abut on the outer peripheral portion. An alignment interval between the protruding pieces is different from a pitch of the spiral blade along the rotational axis.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: July 4, 2023Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Hirofumi Tsuji
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Publication number: 20230128182Abstract: A sheet conveying device includes a sheet conveying passage and a switching guide. The switching guide switches the sheet conveying passage between first and second sheet conveying passages. The switching guide includes a plurality of guide ribs and guide members. The plurality of guide ribs are disposed at intervals in the sheet width direction and extend in the sheet conveying direction. The guide members are fitted to specific guide ribs selected from the plurality of guide ribs. The plurality of guide ribs have first and second guide surfaces that guide the sheet. The guide members are formed of a material having higher slidability than the plurality of guide ribs, and have third guide surfaces that are disposed at positions protruding further to an inner side of the sheet conveying passage than the first or second guide surfaces.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 19, 2022Publication date: April 27, 2023Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hirofumi TSUJI, Shikitaro OGAWA
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Patent number: 11500307Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a case that can store therein toner to be conveyed, a conveyance member rotatably supported at both ends thereof by the case and configured to rotate to convey the toner inside the case in a conveying direction set in advance, and a pushing member pushed against the conveyance member and configured to slide on an outer peripheral portion of the conveyance member as the conveyance member rotates. The pushing member includes a first sheet member having flexibility and abutting on the outer peripheral portion in a first direction intersecting with a rotational axis direction of the conveyance member to push the conveyance member and a second sheet member having flexibility and abutting on the outer peripheral portion in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, intersecting with the rotational axis direction to push the conveyance member.Type: GrantFiled: December 17, 2021Date of Patent: November 15, 2022Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventor: Hirofumi Tsuji
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Patent number: 11372611Abstract: A vehicular display control system includes first and second displays disposed in a vehicle interior, a screen switching operation receiver, and a screen switching controller. The screen switching operation receiver is disposed at a position in the vehicle interior operable by a user while maintaining a driving posture, and receives a first screen switching operation and a second screen switching operation from the user. The screen switching controller performs a first screen switching control for switching a display of a content screen on the first display when the first screen switching operation is received and performs a second screen switching control for switching a display of a content screen on the second display when the second screen switching operation is received.Type: GrantFiled: November 23, 2020Date of Patent: June 28, 2022Assignee: DENSO CORPORATIONInventors: Susumu Enokida, Yukihide Ota, Takeshi Kondo, Kunihiro Nakagawa, Hirofumi Tsuji
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Publication number: 20220197187Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a case storing toner; a conveyance member rotatably supported at both ends by the case, including a spiral blade extending along a rotational axis, and configured to rotate to convey the toner inside the case in a predetermined conveying direction; and a pushing member pushed against an outer peripheral portion of the conveyance member in a first direction intersecting with the rotational axis and configured to slide on the outer peripheral portion as the conveyance member rotates. The pushing member is composed of a flexible sheet member and includes a base portion secured at a securing position inside the case and protruding pieces aligned along the rotational axis and protruding from the base portion toward the conveyance member to abut on the outer peripheral portion. An alignment interval between the protruding pieces is different from a pitch of the spiral blade along the rotational axis.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventor: Hirofumi Tsuji
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Publication number: 20220197188Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a case that can store therein toner to be conveyed, a conveyance member rotatably supported at both ends thereof by the case and configured to rotate to convey the toner inside the case in a conveying direction set in advance, and a pushing member pushed against the conveyance member and configured to slide on an outer peripheral portion of the conveyance member as the conveyance member rotates. The pushing member includes a first sheet member having flexibility and abutting on the outer peripheral portion in a first direction intersecting with a rotational axis direction of the conveyance member to push the conveyance member and a second sheet member having flexibility and abutting on the outer peripheral portion in a second direction, which is different from the first direction, intersecting with the rotational axis direction to push the conveyance member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 17, 2021Publication date: June 23, 2022Inventor: Hirofumi Tsuji
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Patent number: 11314194Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source, a light guide, a light guide cover, and a unit frame. The light guide is in a bar form and, while guiding light that has entered from the light source along the axial direction, sends forth the light. The light guide cover holds the light guide. The light guide cover is attached to a unit frame. The light guide cover includes a main body portion and a plurality of light guide holding portions provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and holding the light guide at a plurality of places, and a plurality of guide engaging portions provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion. The unit frame has a cover fitting face to which the light guide cover is fitted and a plurality of cover guides with which a plurality of guide engaging portions engage respectively.Type: GrantFiled: August 4, 2020Date of Patent: April 26, 2022Assignee: KYOCERA DOCUMENT SOLUTIONS INC.Inventors: Masahiro Ueno, Hiroaki Ohashi, Hirofumi Tsuji, Hiroaki Takai, Yasutaka Hashimoto, Tomoyasu Yamada
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Publication number: 20220043384Abstract: A sorting device includes a base portion and a tray portion. The tray portion is supported on the base portion to be reciprocatable between a first shift position, where the tray portion is located at one side in the sheet width direction, and a second shift position, where the tray portion is located at the other side in the sheet width direction. The tray portion has a cutout portion. The cutout portion is formed by cutting away, with a predetermined width, an end part of the tray portion in the sheet width direction inward across the tray portion. With the tray portion at the second shift position, the cutout portion is located below one side end edge of the sheet in the sheet width direction, of sheets stacked on the tray portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 30, 2021Publication date: February 10, 2022Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Tomoyasu YAMADA, Hirofumi TSUJI
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Publication number: 20210072943Abstract: A vehicular display control system includes first and second displays disposed in a vehicle interior, a screen switching operation receiver, and a screen switching controller. The screen switching operation receiver is disposed at a position in the vehicle interior operable by a user while maintaining a driving posture, and receives a first screen switching operation and a second screen switching operation from the user. The screen switching controller performs a first screen switching control for switching a display of a content screen on the first display when the first screen switching operation is received and performs a second screen switching control for switching a display of a content screen on the second display when the second screen switching operation is received.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 23, 2020Publication date: March 11, 2021Inventors: Susumu ENOKIDA, Yukihide OTA, Takeshi KONDO, Kunihiro NAKAGAWA, Hirofumi TSUJI
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Publication number: 20210041825Abstract: A lighting device includes a light source, a light guide, a light guide cover, and a unit frame. The light guide is in a bar form and, while guiding light that has entered from the light source along the axial direction, sends forth the light. The light guide cover holds the light guide. The light guide cover is attached to a unit frame. The light guide cover includes a main body portion and a plurality of light guide holding portions provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion and holding the light guide at a plurality of places, and a plurality of guide engaging portions provided along the longitudinal direction of the main body portion. The unit frame has a cover fitting face to which the light guide cover is fitted and a plurality of cover guides with which a plurality of guide engaging portions engage respectively.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 4, 2020Publication date: February 11, 2021Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Masahiro UENO, Hiroaki OHASHI, Hirofumi TSUJI, Hiroaki TAKAI, Yasutaka HASHIMOTO, Tomoyasu YAMADA
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Patent number: 10838322Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a case, a conveying screw, a film member and a supporting member. The conveying screw conveys a toner stored in the case in a predetermined direction inside the case. The film member includes a base part elongated in an axial direction of the conveying screw as a longitudinal direction and a plurality of protruding pieces formed so as to protrude in one direction intersecting the longitudinal direction from the base part, and has flexibility. The supporting member includes an attaching part elongated in the axial direction as the longitudinal direction to which the film member is attached, and an axis part being in parallel to the longitudinal direction. The film member and the supporting member are disposed at an upper side of the conveying screw so that the protruding pieces come into contact with the conveying screw, and are rotatable around the axis part.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2019Date of Patent: November 17, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hirofumi Tsuji, Masahiro Ueno
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Patent number: 10824093Abstract: A development device includes a rotational member and a housing. The housing includes a lower housing and an upper housing. The lower housing has an opened upper face. The upper housing has an opened lower face. A first edge portion around the opened upper face has a recess, a first contact face and a first opposite face. The first contact face is formed inside the recess. The first opposite face is formed outside the recess. A second edge portion around the opened lower face has a protrusion, a second contact face and a second opposite face. The protrusion is fitted into the recess. The second contact face comes into contact with the first contact face. The second opposite face opposes the first opposite face. The first and second contact faces are higher than the first and second opposite faces. The recess and the protrusion are adhered with an adhesive.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Yasutaka Hashimoto, Hirofumi Tsuji, Hiroaki Ohashi, Hiroaki Takai, Masahiro Ueno, Tomoyasu Yamada
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Patent number: 10824091Abstract: A development device includes a rotational member and a housing. The rotational member rotates around an axis. In the housing, the rotational member and a toner are stored. The housing includes a lower housing and an upper housing. The lower housing has a concave first storage part having an opened upper face. The upper housing has a concave second storage part having an opened lower face. The first storage part has a first edge portion around the opened upper face. The first edge portion has a first contact face. The second storage part has a second edge portion around the opened lower face. The second edge portion has a second contact face coming into contact with the first contact face. The first contact face and the second contact face are contained in a single plane along respective entire circumferences.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2020Date of Patent: November 3, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hiroaki Takai, Hiroaki Ohashi, Hirofumi Tsuji, Masahiro Ueno, Yasutaka Hashimoto, Tomoyasu Yamada
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Patent number: 10809659Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning roller, a bearing member, a guiding member and an energizing member. The cleaning roller includes a second gear meshed with a first gear of an image carrier. The cleaning roller is rotationally driven in an opposite direction to the image carrier by driving force transmitted from the first gear to the second gear. The bearing member supports a core metal of the cleaning roller. The guiding member has a placement face on which the bearing member is placed. The placement face is inclined with regard to a straight line passing through a rotation center of the first gear and a rotation center of the second gear so that a distance between the straight line and the placement face becomes larger, the closer to the first gear. The energizing member energizes the bearing member so as to press the cleaning roller to the image carrier.Type: GrantFiled: October 29, 2019Date of Patent: October 20, 2020Assignee: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Masahiro Ueno, Hirofumi Tsuji
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Publication number: 20200264535Abstract: A development device includes a rotational member and a housing. The housing includes a lower housing and an upper housing. The lower housing has an opened upper face. The upper housing has an opened lower face. A first edge portion around the opened upper face has a recess, a first contact face and a first opposite face. The first contact face is formed inside the recess. The first opposite face is formed outside the recess. A second edge portion around the opened lower face has a protrusion, a second contact face and a second opposite face. The protrusion is fitted into the recess. The second contact face comes into contact with the first contact face. The second opposite face opposes the first opposite face. The first and second contact faces are higher than the first and second opposite faces. The recess and the protrusion are adhered with an adhesive.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2020Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Yasutaka HASHIMOTO, Hirofumi TSUJI, Hiroaki OHASHI, Hiroaki TAKAI, Masahiro UENO, Tomoyasu YAMADA
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Publication number: 20200264533Abstract: A development device includes a rotational member and a housing. The rotational member rotates around an axis. In the housing, the rotational member and a toner are stored. The housing includes a lower housing and an upper housing. The lower housing has a concave first storage part having an opened upper face. The upper housing has a concave second storage part having an opened lower face. The first storage part has a first edge portion around the opened upper face. The first edge portion has a first contact face. The second storage part has a second edge portion around the opened lower face. The second edge portion has a second contact face coming into contact with the first contact face. The first contact face and the second contact face are contained in a single plane along respective entire circumferences.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2020Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hiroaki TAKAI, Hiroaki OHASHI, Hirofumi TSUJI, Masahiro UENO, Yasutaka HASHIMOTO, Tomoyasu YAMADA
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Publication number: 20200264534Abstract: A development device includes a developer carrier, a housing, a layer thickness regulating member and an attachment member. The developer carrier carries a developer developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier, the developer carrier rotating around an axis. The housing stores the developer carrier and the developer, and has an opening through which the developer carrier is exposed. The layer thickness regulating member is disposed so as to form a gap between the layer thickness regulating member and the developer carrier and regulates a layer thickness of the developer carried on the developer carrier. The attachment member is made of a material has the same thermal expansion property as the layer thickness regulating member. The layer thickness regulating member is fixed to the attachment member using only an adhesive.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2020Publication date: August 20, 2020Applicant: KYOCERA Document Solutions Inc.Inventors: Hiroaki OHASHI, Hirofumi TSUJI, Hiroaki TAKAI, Masahiro UENO, Yasutaka HASHIMOTO, Tomoyasu YAMADA