Patents by Inventor Hironobu Ata

Hironobu Ata 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: 9207591
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member configured to heat and fix, onto a recording material, a toner image formed on the recording material, a restriction member configured to restrict movement of the rotatable fixing member in a generatrix direction of the rotatable fixing member, and a capture member configured to capture a component vaporized by heat. The capture member is arranged to face a curved surface portion of the rotatable fixing member and is positioned by the restriction member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuaki Matsumoto, Hironobu Ata, Fumiki Inui
  • Publication number: 20140140720
    Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable fixing member configured to heat and fix, onto a recording material, a toner image formed on the recording material, a restriction member configured to restrict movement of the rotatable fixing member in a generatrix direction of the rotatable fixing member, and a capture member configured to capture a component vaporized by heat. The capture member is arranged to face a curved surface portion of the rotatable fixing member and is positioned by the restriction member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 19, 2013
    Publication date: May 22, 2014
    Inventors: Yasuaki Matsumoto, Hironobu Ata, Fumiki Inui
  • Patent number: 7637502
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which perform a process to sheets comprising a stacking tray on which stacks the sheets to be performed a process; a discharge roller pair; a first path in which conveys a sheet to the discharge roller pair, shorter than the length of the minimum sheet size being conveyed in the sheet conveying direction; a second path branched from the first path and meeting with the first path at the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction of the discharge roller pair; and a path switching member, wherein a first sheet conveyed while processing the sheets on the stacking tray is guided into the first path by the path switching member, and when the front end of the first sheet projects from the discharge roller pair, the discharge roller pair is apart from each other and the first sheet is held in the first path, and the path switching member is changed over, and a second conveyed sheet is guided into the second path, when the front end of the second sheet projects from the discharge rolle
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironobu Ata, Atsushi Ogata, Kenichiro Isobe, Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 7630681
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first intermediate stacking portion which stacks a conveyed sheet and which performs process to the sheet, a stapler which performs process to the sheet on the first intermediate stacking portion, a second intermediate stacking portion which is located on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the stapler and which is capable of temporarily storing the conveyed sheet, and an intermediate roller pair which conveys the sheet on the second intermediate stacking portion to the first intermediate stacking portion. The sheet stacked on the first intermediate stacking portion and the sheet temporarily stored in the second intermediate stacking portion overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 8, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Kenichiro Isobe, Hironobu Ata, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7607659
    Abstract: A sheet conveyed to a sheet stacking portion is conveyed in a direction opposite to a sheet conveyance direction by a returning roller to bring a trailing edge of the sheet into abutment against a reference wall and regulate a trailing edge position of the sheet. A pressure portion which presses the sheet to the reference wall is pivotably provided between the returning roller and the reference wall. The pressure portion presses the sheet conveyed by the returning roller to the reference wall while urging the sheet with a first urging force and, after the sheet comes into abutment against the reference wall, is urged by the urging unit to press the sheet, the trailing edge position of which is regulated by the reference wall, with a second urging force larger than the first urging force to hold the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 27, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Fukatsu, Atsushi Ogata, Junichi Sekiyama, Hironobu Ata
  • Patent number: 7588243
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus in which a first sheet feeding cassette and a second sheet feeding cassette for containing sheets are arranged in a vertical direction, a first drawer and a second drawer for holding the first sheet feeding cassette and the second sheet feeding cassette, respectively, such that they can be drawn out, a second sheet feeding roller for feeding the sheets from the second sheet feeding cassette located below the first sheet feeding cassette is arranged lateral to the first drawer of the first sheet feeding cassette located above the second sheet feeding cassette so as to be positioned above the bottom surface of the first sheet feeding cassette, and a second sheet feeding unit is supported by being abutted against the first drawer of the first sheet feeding cassette.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Akio Nemoto, Hironobu Ata
  • Publication number: 20080203653
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first intermediate stacking portion which stacks a conveyed sheet and which performs process to the sheet, a stapler which performs process to the sheet on the first intermediate stacking portion, a second intermediate stacking portion which is located on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the stapler and which is capable of temporarily storing the conveyed sheet, and an intermediate roller pair which conveys the sheet on the second intermediate stacking portion to the first intermediate stacking portion. The sheet stacked on the first intermediate stacking portion and the sheet temporarily stored in the second intermediate stacking portion overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Kenichiro Isobe, Hironobu Ata, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7386271
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first intermediate stacking portion which stacks a conveyed sheet and which performs process to the sheet, a stapler which performs process to the sheet on the first intermediate stacking portion, a second intermediate stacking portion which is located on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the stapler and which is capable of temporarily storing the conveyed sheet, and an intermediate roller pair which conveys the sheet on the second intermediate stacking portion to the first intermediate stacking portion. The sheet stacked on the first intermediate stacking portion and the sheet temporarily stored in the second intermediate stacking portion overlap each other.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Kenichiro Isobe, Hironobu Ata, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa
  • Patent number: 7237774
    Abstract: The trailing edge of a sheet delivered to a treating tray for treating the sheet with respect to a delivering direction is made to abut against a trailing edge regulating member to thereby regulate the trailing edge position of the sheet. Next, a sheet delivery lever is reciprocally moved between a first position in which it is retracted to the upstream side of the trailing edge regulating member with respect to the sheet delivering direction and a second position in which it protrudes into the stacking area of the treating tray, to thereby push the trailing edge of the treated sheet and deliver the sheet onto a sheet stacking tray. Also, when this sheet delivery lever is to be moved from the second position to the first position, the sheet delivery lever is moved so as to be capable of passing by the sheet delivered to the treating tray, whereby even during the time when the sheet delivering lever is moved to the first position, the delivery of a succeeding sheet to the treating tray is made possible.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 3, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Fukatsu, Atsushi Ogata, Hironobu Ata
  • Patent number: 7226050
    Abstract: A sheet post-treating apparatus is provided with a discharged sheet stacking tray displaceably provided in a casing portion for stacking thereon sheets discharged from the casing portion, and a holding portion for holding the discharged sheet stacking tray in a first position and a second position overlying the first position, and is designed such that the sheets are stacked on the discharged sheet stacking tray when in the first position, and therefore, when the sheet post-treating apparatus is incorporated into a printer and a cartridge in the printer is to be interchanged with a cartridge cover opened, a user can retract the discharged sheet stacking tray to the second position to thereby interchange the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Sekiyama, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa, Takashi Kuwata, Atsushi Ogata, Kenichiro Isobe, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Hironobu Ata
  • Publication number: 20060237893
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus in which a first sheet feeding cassette and a second sheet feeding cassette for containing sheets are arranged in a vertical direction, a first drawer and a second drawer for holding the first sheet feeding cassette and the second sheet feeding cassette, respectively, such that they can be drawn out, a second sheet feeding roller for feeding the sheets from the second sheet feeding cassette located below the first sheet feeding cassette is arranged lateral to the first drawer of the first sheet feeding cassette located above the second sheet feeding cassette so as to be positioned above the bottom surface of the first sheet feeding cassette, and a second sheet feeding unit is supported by being abutted against the first drawer of the first sheet feeding cassette.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2006
    Publication date: October 26, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akio Nemoto, Hironobu Ata
  • Patent number: 7077395
    Abstract: A sheet after-treatment device equipped with a stapler main body which staples sheets fed between upper and lower jaws in an opened state with a staple by closing the upper and lower jaws, and a holder for holding the stapler main body, in which a sheet transport guide surface of an upstream-side portion of the holder and the lower jaw of the stapler main body are arranged in the area where the sheets are transported, and the sheet transport guide surface of the upstream-side portion of the stapler main body is situated above the lower jaw.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2003
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2006
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hironobu Ata, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa, Takashi Kuwata, Kenichiro Isobe, Masayoshi Fukatsu
  • Publication number: 20060097445
    Abstract: A sheet conveyed to a sheet stacking portion is conveyed in a direction opposite to a sheet conveyance direction by a returning roller to bring a trailing edge of the sheet into abutment against a reference wall and regulate a trailing edge position of the sheet. A pressure portion which presses the sheet to the reference wall is pivotably provided between the returning roller and the reference wall. The pressure portion presses the sheet conveyed by the returning roller to the reference wall while urging the sheet with a first urging force and, after the sheet comes into abutment against the reference wall, is urged by the urging unit to press the sheet, the trailing edge position of which is regulated by the reference wall, with a second urging force larger than the first urging force to hold the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2005
    Publication date: May 11, 2006
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Fukatsu, Atsushi Ogata, Junichi Sekiyama, Hironobu Ata
  • Publication number: 20060071423
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus which perform a process to sheets comprising a stacking tray on which stacks the sheets to be performed a process; a discharge roller pair; a first path in which conveys a sheet to the discharge roller pair, shorter than the length of the minimum sheet size being conveyed in the sheet conveying direction; a second path branched from the first path and meeting with the first path at the upstream side in the sheet conveying direction of the discharge roller pair; and a path switching member, wherein a first sheet conveyed while processing the sheets on the stacking tray is guided into the first path by the path switching member, and when the front end of the first sheet projects from the discharge roller pair, the discharge roller pair is apart from each other and the first sheet is held in the first path, and the path switching member is changed over, and a second conveyed sheet is guided into the second path, when the front end of the second sheet projects from the discharge rolle
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2005
    Publication date: April 6, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hironobu Ata, Atsushi Ogata, Kenichiro Isobe, Hiroharu Tsuji
  • Patent number: 6973285
    Abstract: A sheet post-treating apparatus is provided with a discharged sheet stacking tray displaceably provided in a casing portion for stacking thereon sheets discharged from the casing portion, and a holding portion for holding the discharged sheet stacking tray in a first position and a second position overlying the first position, and is designed such that the sheets are stacked on the discharged sheet stacking tray when in the first position, and therefore, when the sheet post-treating apparatus is incorporated into a printer and a cartridge in the printer is to be interchanged with a cartridge cover opened, a user can retract the discharged sheet stacking tray to the second position to thereby interchange the cartridge.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Sekiyama, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa, Takashi Kuwata, Atsushi Ogata, Kenichiro Isobe, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Hironobu Ata
  • Publication number: 20050248085
    Abstract: A sheet post-treating apparatus is provided with a discharged sheet stacking tray displaceably provided in a casing portion for stacking thereon sheets discharged from the casing portion, and a holding portion for holding the discharged sheet stacking tray in a first position and a second position overlying the first position, and is designed such that the sheets are stacked on the discharged sheet stacking tray when in the first position, and therefore, when the sheet post-treating apparatus is incorporated into a printer and a cartridge in the printer is to be interchanged with a cartridge cover opened, a user can retract the discharged sheet stacking tray to the second position to thereby interchange the cartridge.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 20, 2005
    Publication date: November 10, 2005
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Sekiyama, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa, Takashi Kuwata, Atsushi Ogata, Kenichiro Isobe, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Hironobu Ata
  • Publication number: 20050220521
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a first intermediate stacking portion which stacks a conveyed sheet and which performs process to the sheet, a stapler which performs process to the sheet on the first intermediate stacking portion, a second intermediate stacking portion which is located on an upstream side in a conveying direction of the stapler and which is capable of temporarily storing the conveyed sheet, and an intermediate roller pair which conveys the sheet on the second intermediate stacking portion to the first intermediate stacking portion. The sheet stacked on the first intermediate stacking portion and the sheet temporarily stored in the second intermediate stacking portion overlap each other.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2005
    Publication date: October 6, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Takashi Kuwata, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Kenichiro Isobe, Hironobu Ata, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa
  • Publication number: 20050133991
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus provided with a pair of discharging rollers having a first roller and a second roller disposed in opposed relationship with the first roller, a roller supporting member which rotatably supports the first roller, and is movable between a first position in which the first roller can cooperate with the second roller to discharge a sheet and a second position in which the first roller is spaced apart from the second roller, a driving member which pivotally moves the roller supporting member, a drive transmitting portion which transmits drive to the driving member, and a single drive source which transmits the drive to the drive transmitting portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 18, 2004
    Publication date: June 23, 2005
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hironobu Ata, Takashi Kuwata
  • Publication number: 20040217543
    Abstract: The trailing edge of a sheet delivered to a treating tray for treating the sheet with respect to a delivering direction is made to abut against a trailing edge regulating member to thereby regulate the trailing edge position of the sheet. Next, a sheet delivery lever is reciprocally moved between a first position in which it is retracted to the upstream side of the trailing edge regulating member with respect to the sheet delivering direction and a second position in which it protrudes into the stacking area of the treating tray, to thereby push the trailing edge of the treated sheet and deliver the sheet onto a sheet stacking tray. Also, when this sheet delivery lever is to be moved from the second position to the first position, the sheet delivery lever is moved so as to be capable of passing by the sheet delivered to the treating tray, whereby even during the time when the sheet delivering lever is moved to the first position, the delivery of a succeeding sheet to the treating tray is made possible.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2004
    Publication date: November 4, 2004
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masayoshi Fukatsu, Atsushi Ogata, Hironobu Ata
  • Patent number: 6722646
    Abstract: A sheet treating apparatus including the first intermediate stacking portion for hitting an edge of a sheet in a transport direction against a wall to align the sheet, a pair of delivery rollers for delivering the sheet from the first intermediate stacking portion, the second intermediate stacking portion for carrying-in and supporting the sheet downstream of the pair of delivery rollers in the transport direction and aligning edges of the sheet in a cross direction perpendicular to the transport direction, a sheet stacking portion located below the second intermediate stacking portion in the gravitational direction, and a full load detecting unit for detecting full load of sheets on the sheet stacking portion, in which the full load detecting unit contacts an upper surface of sheets on the sheet stacking portion with a full load detecting flag, which has a pivotal fulcrum in a higher position than that of the pair of delivery rollers to detect a height of the upper surface, and does not perform full load det
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 20, 2004
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Junichi Sekiyama, Yasuyoshi Hayakawa, Takashi Kuwata, Kenichiro Isobe, Masayoshi Fukatsu, Hironobu Ata