Patents by Inventor Hiroshi Hiura

Hiroshi Hiura 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: 11796932
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a first door rotatable about a first rotation axis extending in a width direction within a first rotation range between a first open position and a first closed position; a second door provided below the first door and rotatable about a second rotation axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the first rotation axis within a second rotation range between a second open position and a second closed position, a part of the first rotation range making inroads into the second rotation range; and a retracting portion configured to rotate the first door to a retracted position to allow a rotation of the second door in conjunction with the second door being rotated to the second closed position from a state in which the first door is in the first open position and the second door is in the second open position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 24, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Shigeo Doi, Osamu Sato
  • Patent number: 11578759
    Abstract: A retaining ring 1 for a shaft 2a usable with a bearing 3 having an outer ring 3a and an inner ring 3b fixed on the shaft, wherein the inner ring 3b and the outer ring 3a are rotatable relative to each other, and the retaining ring 1 is provided on the shaft 2a adjacent to the bearing 3 in a thrust direction to restrict a position of the bearing 3 in the thrust direction, the retaining ring 1 includes a protrusion 1a protruding in the thrust direction from a surface opposing the inner ring 3b in the thrust direction to contact the inner ring 3b so that the retaining ring 1 is out of contact from the outer ring 3a.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Yoshimasu Yamaguchi
  • Publication number: 20220350270
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus including: a first door rotatable about a first rotation axis extending in a width direction within a first rotation range between a first open position and a first closed position; a second door provided below the first door and rotatable about a second rotation axis extending in a direction orthogonal to the first rotation axis within a second rotation range between a second open position and a second closed position, a part of the first rotation range making inroads into the second rotation range; and a retracting portion configured to rotate the first door to a retracted position to allow a rotation of the second door in conjunction with the second door being rotated to the second closed position from a state in which the first door is in the first open position and the second door is in the second open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2022
    Publication date: November 3, 2022
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Shigeo Doi, Osamu Sato
  • Publication number: 20200217369
    Abstract: A retaining ring 1 for a shaft 2a usable with a bearing 3 having an outer ring 3a and an inner ring 3b fixed on the shaft, wherein the inner ring 3b and the outer ring 3a are rotatable relative to each other, and the retaining ring 1 is provided on the shaft 2a adjacent to the bearing 3 in a thrust direction to restrict a position of the bearing 3 in the thrust direction, the retaining ring 1 includes a protrusion 1a protruding in the thrust direction from a surface opposing the inner ring 3b in the thrust direction to contact the inner ring 3b so that the retaining ring 1 is out of contact from the outer ring 3a.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2020
    Publication date: July 9, 2020
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Yoshimasu Yamaguchi
  • Patent number: 10473140
    Abstract: An insert nut includes a cylindrical portion into which a bolt is removably insertable. An inner periphery of the cylindrical portion includes a first region, a second region and a third region which are provided in the order named from an upstream side to a downstream side with respect to an insertion direction of the bolt at an inner periphery thereof. The first region and the third region include a female screw portion threadably engageable with the bolt. The second region has a minimum inner diameter larger than D1+2×h1×0.3, where D1 is an inner diameter of the female screw portion in the first region at a screw thread position and h1 is a height of a screw thread of the female screw portion in the first region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazushi Kitajima, Hiroshi Hiura, Kazuhisa Okuda
  • Publication number: 20170370396
    Abstract: An insert nut includes a cylindrical portion into which a bolt is removably insertable. An inner periphery of the cylindrical portion includes a first region, a second region and a third region which are provided in the order named from an upstream side to a downstream side with respect to an insertion direction of the bolt at an inner periphery thereof. The first region and the third region include a female screw portion threadably engageable with the bolt. The second region has a minimum inner diameter larger than D1+2×h1×0.3, where D1 is an inner diameter of the female screw portion in the first region at a screw thread position and h1 is a height of a screw thread of the female screw portion in the first region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 13, 2017
    Publication date: December 28, 2017
    Inventors: Kazushi Kitajima, Hiroshi Hiura, Kazuhisa Okuda
  • Patent number: 9310752
    Abstract: A roller is rotatably provided in an arm that is swingable relative to a main body of an apparatus, and is connected to a tension spring using a wire of a roller shaft. A roller guide portion that guides the roller is provided in a sheet feeding cassette. The roller is guided along a guiding member of the roller guide portion in accordance with insertion of the sheet feeding cassette into the main body of the apparatus. When the roller is guided along the guiding member, an elastic force of the tension spring is accumulated. The sheet feeding cassette is pulled to a mounting position when the roller is guided along the guiding member. The sheet feeding cassette is pushed out also when the roller is guided along the guiding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Fumihiko Hayayumi, Shinsuke Ubayashi
  • Publication number: 20130230335
    Abstract: A roller is rotatably provided in an arm that is swingable relative to a main body of an apparatus, and is connected to a tension spring using a wire of a roller shaft. A roller guide portion that guides the roller is provided in a sheet feeding cassette. The roller is guided along a guiding member of the roller guide portion in accordance with insertion of the sheet feeding cassette into the main body of the apparatus. When the roller is guided along the guiding member, an elastic force of the tension spring is accumulated. The sheet feeding cassette is pulled to a mounting position when the roller is guided along the guiding member. The sheet feeding cassette is pushed out also when the roller is guided along the guiding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 19, 2011
    Publication date: September 5, 2013
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Fumihiko Hayayumi, Shinsuke Ubayashi
  • Patent number: 8360419
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus, including a size detecting portion, which has: a size detecting lever, which is disposed opposite to a side regulation member, and pivots in association with a movement of the side regulation member to a regulation position according to a size of a sheet; and a switch turned ON and OFF according to a pivotal position of the size detecting lever. The side regulation member is provided with a protrusion, which abuts the size detecting lever to amplify a pivotal amount of the size detecting lever pivoting in association with the movement of the side regulation member to the regulation position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2013
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiura
  • Patent number: 7900909
    Abstract: Sheets fed out of a cassette supporting the sheets by a pickup roller are separated and fed by a sheet separation feeding unit having a feed roller and a separating roller which is rotatable in a direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction. A charge eliminating mechanism for eliminating charges of the separating roller is arranged on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction in a separation nip portion between the feed roller and the separating roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Date of Patent: March 8, 2011
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Takeshi Suga, Toshifumi Itabashi, Hajime Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20100187750
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus and an image forming apparatus, including a size detecting portion, which has: a size detecting lever, which is disposed opposite to a side regulation member, and pivots in association with a movement of the side regulation member to a regulation position according to a size of a sheet; and a switch turned ON and OFF according to a pivotal position of the size detecting lever. The side regulation member is provided with a protrusion, which abuts the size detecting lever to amplify a pivotal amount of the size detecting lever pivoting in association with the movement of the side regulation member to the regulation position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 19, 2010
    Publication date: July 29, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiura
  • Publication number: 20100072690
    Abstract: Sheets fed out of a cassette supporting the sheets by a pickup roller are separated and fed by a sheet separation feeding unit having a feed roller and a separating roller which is rotatable in a direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction. A charge eliminating mechanism for eliminating charges of the separating roller is arranged on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction in a separation nip portion between the feed roller and the separating roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 25, 2009
    Publication date: March 25, 2010
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Takeshi Suga, Toshifumi Itabashi, Hajime Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 7641188
    Abstract: Sheets fed out of a cassette supporting the sheets by a pickup roller are separated and fed by a sheet separation feeding unit having a feed roller and a separating roller which is rotatable in a direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction. A charge eliminating mechanism for eliminating charges of the separating roller is arranged on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction in a separation nip portion between the feed roller and the separating roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 5, 2010
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Takeshi Suga, Toshifumi Itabashi, Hajime Sekiguchi
  • Patent number: 7637491
    Abstract: A sheet cassette including a sheet stacking case configured to contain sheets, the sheet stacking case having a securing mechanism for securing an air supply unit supplying air, and a duct for sending the air supplied from the air supply unit to end portions of the contained sheets, thereby allowing the air supply unit to be attached to blow the air only when necessary.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: December 29, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiura
  • Patent number: 7621521
    Abstract: A feeding unit is detachably attached to a sheet cassette in which sheets are loaded. The feeding unit includes a sheet tray on which sheets are loaded, and a fan for blowing air against the side surface of a stack of sheets loaded on the sheet tray, the sheet tray and the fan being held in a case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 24, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroto Koga, Yusuke Imai, Hiroshi Hiura
  • Patent number: 7551873
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus including: a plurality of doors for opening a sheet conveying path are provided vertically adjacent to one another in an apparatus main body, and openably and closably about an axis provided in a vertical direction; and a restricting mechanism, which restricts, before an upper door of the plurality of doors is closed, the closing of a door just below the upper door.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: June 23, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiura
  • Patent number: 7451973
    Abstract: A feeding unit is detachably attached to a sheet cassette in which sheets are loaded. The feeding unit includes a sheet tray on which sheets are loaded, and a fan for blowing air against the side surface of a stack of sheets loaded on the sheet tray, the sheet tray and the fan being held in a case.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroto Koga, Yusuke Imai, Hiroshi Hiura
  • Publication number: 20080277862
    Abstract: A feeding unit is detachably attached to a sheet cassette in which sheets are loaded. The feeding unit includes a sheet tray on which sheets are loaded, and a fan for blowing air against the side surface of a stack of sheets loaded on the sheet tray, the sheet tray and the fan being held in a case.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 22, 2008
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroto Koga, Yusuke Imai, Hiroshi Hiura
  • Publication number: 20080265488
    Abstract: Sheets fed out of a cassette supporting the sheets by a pickup roller are separated and fed by a sheet separation feeding unit having a feed roller and a separating roller which is rotatable in a direction opposite to a sheet feeding direction. A charge eliminating mechanism for eliminating charges of the separating roller is arranged on the upstream side in the sheet feeding direction in a separation nip portion between the feed roller and the separating roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hiroshi Hiura, Takeshi Suga, Toshifumi Itabashi, Hajime Sekiguchi
  • Publication number: 20070057448
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus including: a plurality of doors for opening a sheet conveying path are provided vertically adjacent to one another in an apparatus main body, and openably and closably about an axis provided in a vertical direction; and a restricting mechanism, which restricts, before an upper door of the plurality of doors is closed, the closing of a door just below the upper door.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Publication date: March 15, 2007
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Hiroshi Hiura