Patents by Inventor Katsuhide Sakai

Katsuhide Sakai 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: 12291421
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet feeding conveyor that feeds and conveys a recording medium to a conveyance path; an image former that performs image formation on the recording medium; a medium sensor that is disposed on an upstream side of the recording medium from the image former on the conveyance path and measures one or more sheet physical properties regarding the recording medium conveyed; a first hardware processor that determines a type of the recording medium on a basis of the sheet physical properties measured by the medium sensor; a second hardware processor that determines conveyance performance for the recording medium; and a third hardware processor that determines whether or not to perform the image formation on a basis of the conveyance performance in a case where the type of the recording medium determined by the first hardware processor is a type out of product specifications.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 6, 2025
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yasuhiro Ishihara, Toshikazu Higashi, Masahiro Kamiya, Shigetaka Kato, Katsuhide Sakai
  • Patent number: 12276931
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2025
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
  • Publication number: 20250068111
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a detection element and a hardware processor. The detection element includes a receiving section that receives a specific signal and an output section that outputs a predetermined output value based on the specific signal received by the receiving section. The hardware processor determines in accordance with a status of an output from the output section, a state of deterioration that leads to a state in which the detection element needs to be replaced.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2024
    Publication date: February 27, 2025
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhide Sakai, Takeshi Nomura
  • Patent number: 11880153
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet; a controller that: discriminates a sheet type of the sheet, and receives a user input to specify a sheet type; and an image forming device that has two setting modes including an automatic discrimination mode in which an image is formed based on the discriminated sheet type and a user specified mode in which an image is formed based on the sheet type specified by the user input. The controller automatically switches one of the two setting modes to the other based on a defined condition.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2024
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kamiya, Toshikazu Higashi, Yasuhiro Ishihara, Shigetaka Kato, Katsuhide Sakai
  • Publication number: 20230288856
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2023
    Publication date: September 14, 2023
    Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11703789
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the envelope; a third hardware processor that determines, in case the first hardware processor judges that the recording medium is the envelope, control for forming an image on the envelope by the image former on the basis of the basis weight of the envelope acquired by the second hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 18, 2023
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
  • Publication number: 20230009567
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet feeding conveyor that feeds and conveys a recording medium to a conveyance path; an image former that performs image formation on the recording medium; a medium sensor that is disposed on an upstream side of the recording medium from the image former on the conveyance path and measures one or more sheet physical properties regarding the recording medium conveyed; a first hardware processor that determines a type of the recording medium on a basis of the sheet physical properties measured by the medium sensor; a second hardware processor that determines conveyance performance for the recording medium; and a third hardware processor that determines whether or not to perform the image formation on a basis of the conveyance performance in a case where the type of the recording medium determined by the first hardware processor is a type out of product specifications.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 24, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: YASUHIRO ISHIHARA, TOSHIKAZU HIGASHI, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, SHIGETAKA KATO, KATSUHIDE SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20220283532
    Abstract: An image forming device includes: a sheet feeder that feeds a sheet; a controller that: discriminates a sheet type of the sheet, and receives a user input to specify a sheet type; and an image forming device that has two setting modes including an automatic discrimination mode in which an image is formed based on the discriminated sheet type and a user specified mode in which an image is formed based on the sheet type specified by the user input. The controller automatically switches one of the two setting modes to the other based on a defined condition.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 2, 2022
    Publication date: September 8, 2022
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Masahiro Kamiya, Toshikazu Higashi, Yasuhiro Ishihara, Shigetaka Kato, Katsuhide Sakai
  • Patent number: 11402786
    Abstract: A recording medium conveyance device includes storage that stores a recording medium, a conveyer that takes out the recording medium stored in the storage and conveys the recording medium as a conveyed object, an ultrasonic sensor that outputs a value indicating an attenuation amount of an ultrasonic wave caused by the conveyed object and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor executes an overlay detection process of detecting whether the conveyed object is in an overlay state in which a gap is present based on a result of output by the ultrasonic sensor, and prevents execution of the overlay detection process with respect to a first conveyed object that is to be conveyed first by the conveyer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: August 2, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Taku Kimura, Masahiro Nonoyama, Junichi Masuda, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai
  • Publication number: 20220229389
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2022
    Publication date: July 21, 2022
    Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11334012
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: May 17, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
  • Publication number: 20210405565
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes: an image former that forms an image on a recording medium delivered along a predetermined delivery path and outputs the recording medium; a first hardware processor that judges whether or not the recording medium is an envelope; a second hardware processor that acquires a basis weight of the recording medium; a third hardware processor that determines control for when an image is formed on the recording medium on the basis of a judgment result from the first hardware processor and a basis weight acquired by the second hardware processor; and a fourth hardware processor that controls operation of the image former on the basis of a determination result from the third hardware processor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 2, 2021
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
  • Patent number: 11186457
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet conveyance apparatus armored with a housing, the sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a sheet conveyor that feeds a sheet to a downstream side in a direction of conveyance; a conveyance guide that guides the sheet to be conveyed; an ultrasonic sensor that detects the sheet guided by the conveyance guide; and a shield member that is conductive, wherein the ultrasonic sensor includes: a transmitter that transmits an ultrasonic wave having a predetermined frequency; and a receiver that receives the ultrasonic wave, the transmitter and the receiver are arranged along the conveyance guide, and the shield member is disposed between the housing and the receiver in a sheet-face perpendicular direction at an ultrasonic-irradiation position of the sheet being conveyed, the shield member covering an entirety of the receiver in plan view in the sheet-face perpendicular direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2021
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA INC.
    Inventors: Masahiro Nonoyama, Masahiro Kamiya, Katsuhide Sakai, Junichi Masuda, Taku Kimura
  • Publication number: 20210364973
    Abstract: A recording medium conveyance device includes storage that stores a recording medium, a conveyer that takes out the recording medium stored in the storage and conveys the recording medium as a conveyed object, an ultrasonic sensor that outputs a value indicating an attenuation amount of an ultrasonic wave caused by the conveyed object and a hardware processor, wherein the hardware processor executes an overlay detection process of detecting whether the conveyed object is in an overlay state in which a gap is present based on a result of output by the ultrasonic sensor, and prevents execution of the overlay detection process with respect to a first conveyed object that is to be conveyed first by the conveyer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 6, 2021
    Publication date: November 25, 2021
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Taku KIMURA, Masahiro NONOYAMA, Junichi MASUDA, Masahiro KAMIYA, Katsuhide SAKAI
  • Publication number: 20200307935
    Abstract: Provided is a sheet conveyance apparatus armored with a housing, the sheet conveyance apparatus includes: a sheet conveyor that feeds a sheet to a downstream side in a direction of conveyance; a conveyance guide that guides the sheet to be conveyed; an ultrasonic sensor that detects the sheet guided by the conveyance guide; and a shield member that is conductive, wherein the ultrasonic sensor includes: a transmitter that transmits an ultrasonic wave having a predetermined frequency; and a receiver that receives the ultrasonic wave, the transmitter and the receiver are arranged along the conveyance guide, and the shield member is disposed between the housing and the receiver in a sheet-face perpendicular direction at an ultrasonic-irradiation position of the sheet being conveyed, the shield member covering an entirety of the receiver in plan view in the sheet-face perpendicular direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 30, 2020
    Publication date: October 1, 2020
    Inventors: MASAHIRO NONOYAMA, MASAHIRO KAMIYA, KATSUHIDE SAKAI, JUNICHI MASUDA, TAKU KIMURA
  • Patent number: 10768562
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet, and includes: a rotator used to form the image; a motor that drives the rotator rotationally; a current measurer that measures motor current flowing through a current-carrying path including a winding of the motor, at measurement timing that is timing after the motor starts up; a torque acquirer that acquires a torque value of the motor based on a measured value of the motor current; and a corrector that performs correction for cancellation of an amount of error based on one or both of a variation in characteristic corresponding to motor speed of the motor and a variation in characteristic corresponding to the motor current at the measurement timing, at the acquisition of the torque value by the torque acquirer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Date of Patent: September 8, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhide Sakai, Yasuhiro Koide, Toshiaki Tanaka, Akihiro Hayashi
  • Publication number: 20200159150
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has a pad type fixing device in which a lubricant is interposed between a fixing belt for heating a sheet and a pad for holding the fixing belt, and includes: a controller that controls a heater of the fixing belt to maintain a fixing temperature to be set in accordance with printing modes, at a set temperature; an acquisitor that acquires torque of a motor for rotating the fixing belt as acquired torque for each of the set temperatures; a transition predictor that predicts transition of the torque of the motor for each of the set temperatures based on the acquired torque; and a point predictor that predicts a point at which at least two transition curves based on the predicted transition intersect each other as a torque rise point at which the torque of the motor starts rising due to a decrease in the lubricant.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 20, 2019
    Publication date: May 21, 2020
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Katsuhide SAKAI, Yasuhiro KOIDE, Toshiaki TANAKA, Akihiro HAYASHI
  • Patent number: 10642204
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet includes: a rotating body that forms the image; a motor that rotationally drives the rotating body; a current measurer that measures a motor current flowing through a current supply path including a winding of the motor at a measurement timing that is a timing after the motor is started; a torque acquisitor that acquires a torque value of the motor, based on a measured value of the motor current; and a corrector that performs correction to cancel a current change amount based on a characteristic change depending on a temperature state of the motor at the measurement timing, in acquisition of the torque value by the torque acquisitor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 5, 2020
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhide Sakai, Yasuhiro Ishihara, Satoshi Chikazawa
  • Publication number: 20200073301
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus forms an image on a sheet, and includes: a rotator used to form the image; a motor that drives the rotator rotationally; a current measurer that measures motor current flowing through a current-carrying path including a winding of the motor, at measurement timing that is timing after the motor starts up; a torque acquirer that acquires a torque value of the motor based on a measured value of the motor current; and a corrector that performs correction for cancellation of an amount of error based on one or both of a variation in characteristic corresponding to motor speed of the motor and a variation in characteristic corresponding to the motor current at the measurement timing, at the acquisition of the torque value by the torque acquirer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: March 5, 2020
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhide SAKAI, Yasuhiro KOIDE, Toshiaki TANAKA, Akihiro HAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20190265624
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a sheet includes: a rotating body that forms the image; a motor that rotationally drives the rotating body; a current measurer that measures a motor current flowing through a current supply path including a winding of the motor at a measurement timing that is a timing after the motor is started; a torque acquisitor that acquires a torque value of the motor, based on a measured value of the motor current; and a corrector that performs correction to cancel a current change amount based on a characteristic change depending on a temperature state of the motor at the measurement timing, in acquisition of the torque value by the torque acquisitor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2019
    Publication date: August 29, 2019
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Katsuhide SAKAI, Yasuhiro ISHIHARA, Satoshi CHIKAZAWA