Patents by Inventor Katsuya Nakama

Katsuya Nakama 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: 10044894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which performs an adjustment operation at appropriate timing. Whether to execute a first or a second adjustment processes is controlled based on the number of sheets on which images are formed. A first adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached a first number since a previous first adjustment process was executed. A second adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached a second number since a previous second adjustment process was executed. The first adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached the first number prior to a designated time by a predetermined period. The second adjustment operation is skipped in a case where the number of sheets has reached the second number prior to the designated time by the predetermined period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 7, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Naoka Omura, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto
  • Patent number: 10031473
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus has an image forming station, a mounting portion, and a fixing portion that includes a first rotatable member, a second rotatable member, a rubbing rotatable member configured to rub a surface of the first rotatable member during a rubbing treatment, and a storing portion capable of storing number information. A number of recording materials fed to the fixing portion is counted, written into the storing portion, and used to determine whether to execute the rubbing treatment. In a case in which, in sequence, the recording material is fed to the mounted fixing portion, the mounted fixing portion is removed and replaced with another fixing portion, and the removed fixing portion is remounted, both number information acquired from the storing portion and the number of recording materials fed to the remounted fixing portion are used to determine whether to execute the rubbing treatment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Nakama, Satoru Yamamoto, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Akinobu Nishikata, Akihiro Kawakita, Toshiyuki Miyake, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 10025248
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an input portion into which a job is to be input, an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material to execute the job input into the input portion, a fixing portion configured to fix, on the recording material, the toner image formed by the image forming portion, the fixing portion being capable of being replaced with another fixing portion depending on a content of the job, a selecting portion configured to prompt an operator to select one of a plurality of modes before a plurality of jobs are successively reserved, and a controller configured to control the execution order of reserved jobs. The controller can change the execution order of the plurality of jobs so as to decrease the number of times of replacement of the fixing portion, or the controller can maintain the execution order of the plurality of jobs in a reserved order.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama
  • Patent number: 9989911
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming an unfixed toner image on a sheet; a fixing portion detachably mountable to the apparatus, said fixing portion including a rotatable member for being contacted by an image carrying surface of the sheet; a jam detector for detecting jamming in said fixing portion; an executing portion for executing a cleaning process for said rotatable member after clearance of the jamming; a storing portion, provided on said fixing portion, for storing information as to whether or not the cleaning process is executed; and a display for displaying a state of capability of image forming operation. The executing portion executes the cleaning process before said display displays the state, when the information stored in said storing portion of said fixing portion mounted in said main assembly indicates non-execution of said cleaning process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Katsuya Nakama, Satoru Yamamoto, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Nobuhiro Kikuchi
  • Patent number: 9983514
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having high usability and securing both image quality and productivity. The image forming apparatus changes a rotational speed of a secondary transfer member depending on a basis weight of a sheet. The image forming apparatus performs digital sub-scanning scaling of correcting image data and polygon sub-scanning scaling of controlling a scanning speed during image formation so as to cancel out image deformation caused by change in rotational speed of the secondary transfer member. When giving priority to image quality, the image forming apparatus performs processing of the digital sub-scanning scaling and the polygon sub-scanning scaling, and when giving priority to productivity, the image forming apparatus performs only processing of digital sub-scanning scaling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 9921516
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of reducing power consumption by optimizing preliminary operation of a sensor. In the image forming apparatus, when tone characteristics adjustment is instructed (Step S1003: Y), tone characteristics adjustment (Step S1006) is executed after calibration (Step S1004), while when mixed-color correction is instructed (Step S1007: Y), mixed-color correction processing (Step S1009) is executed after calibration (Step S1008). Further, in the case where mixed-color correction is executed after tone characteristics adjustment, the preliminary light emission time in calibration is set shorter than when mixed-color correction is executed without performing gray adjustment first.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 9896292
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus capable of continuing conveyance of sheets without causing a jam even when a switching member performs an operation for switching a conveyance path again. A switching member is disposed at a branching point of a conveyance path through which the sheet is conveyed by a conveying unit, and is operated by a drive unit for witching a destination of conveyance of the sheet. A controller causes the drive unit to operate the switching member, and performs a checking operation for checking a state of the drive unit based on an output from a sensor that detects a state of the switching member. The controller controls a sheet conveyance interval between a first sheet conveyed by the conveying unit and a second sheet conveyed following the first sheet, according to a result of the checking operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 20, 2018
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawakita, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara
  • Publication number: 20170310842
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus which performs an adjustment operation at appropriate timing. Whether to execute a first or a second adjustment processes is controlled based on the number of sheets on which images are formed. A first adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached a first number since a previous first adjustment process was executed. A second adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached a second number since a previous second adjustment process was executed. The first adjustment operation is executed in a case where the number of sheets has reached the first number prior to a designated time by a predetermined period. The second adjustment operation is skipped in a case where the number of sheets has reached the second number prior to the designated time by the predetermined period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 17, 2017
    Publication date: October 26, 2017
    Inventors: Naoka Omura, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto
  • Publication number: 20170297845
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus capable of continuing conveyance of sheets without causing a jam even when a switching member performs an operation for switching a conveyance path again. A switching member is disposed at a branching point of a conveyance path through which the sheet is conveyed by a conveying unit, and is operated by a drive unit for witching a destination of conveyance of the sheet. A controller causes the drive unit to operate the switching member, and performs a checking operation for checking a state of the drive unit based on an output from a sensor that detects a state of the switching member. The controller controls a sheet conveyance interval between a first sheet conveyed by the conveying unit and a second sheet conveyed following the first sheet, according to a result of the checking operation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 11, 2017
    Publication date: October 19, 2017
    Inventors: Akihiro Kawakita, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara
  • Patent number: 9714150
    Abstract: A sheet conveying apparatus that restricts conveyance of sheets to a post-processing apparatus which has become incapable of continuing a post-processing operation. The sheet conveying apparatus is communicably connected to the post-processing apparatus that performs post-processing on a sheet bundle formed by sheets. The sheet conveying apparatus includes a conveying unit for conveying sheets and an escape tray for receiving conveyed sheets which are not conveyed to the post-processing apparatus. A value corresponding to the number of sheet bundles formed by conveyed sheets is counted. A CPU circuit section determines based on communication with the post-processing apparatus whether or not the post-processing operation can be continued thereby. When it is determined that the post-processing operation cannot be continued, the CPU circuit section switches the sheet conveying destination from the post-processing apparatus to the escape tray, based on the counted value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: July 25, 2017
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Akinobu Nishikata, Satoru Yamamoto, Takashi Yokoya, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara
  • Publication number: 20170185012
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion, a fixing portion including a rotatable member and an information storing portion, an information acquiring portion, and a controller configured to control whether or not a cleaning process for removing a deposited matter on a surface of the rotatable member is executed depending on an elapsed time from a fixing portion demounting time indicated by information acquired by the information acquiring portion. When the elapsed time is not less than a predetermined time, the controller executes the cleaning process in a period from the mounting of the fixing portion to a start of fixing, and when the elapsed time is less than the predetermined time, the controller does not executes the cleaning process in the period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2016
    Publication date: June 29, 2017
    Inventors: Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Nobuhiro Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20170176884
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus capable of reducing power consumption by optimizing preliminary operation of a sensor. In the image forming apparatus, when tone characteristics adjustment is instructed (Step S1003: Y), tone characteristics adjustment (Step S1006) is executed after calibration (Step S1004), while when mixed-color correction is instructed (Step S1007: Y), mixed-color correction processing (Step S1009) is executed after calibration (Step S1008). Further, in the case where mixed-color correction is executed after tone characteristics adjustment, the preliminary light emission time in calibration is set shorter than when mixed-color correction is executed without performing gray adjustment first.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: June 22, 2017
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20170052485
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming apparatus having high usability and securing both image quality and productivity. The image forming apparatus changes a rotational speed of a secondary transfer member depending on a basis weight of a sheet. The image forming apparatus performs digital sub-scanning scaling of correcting image data and polygon sub-scanning scaling of controlling a scanning speed during image formation so as to cancel out image deformation caused by change in rotational speed of the secondary transfer member. When giving priority to image quality, the image forming apparatus performs processing of the digital sub-scanning scaling and the polygon sub-scanning scaling, and when giving priority to productivity, the image forming apparatus performs only processing of digital sub-scanning scaling.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2016
    Publication date: February 23, 2017
    Inventors: Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20170045854
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, including: a fixing unit configured to fix a toner image to a sheet; a sheet moving motor configured to move the sheet in a width direction orthogonal to a conveyance direction of the sheet; and a controller configured to determine a movement amount of the sheet to be moved by the sheet moving motor for each sheet, wherein the controller sets a first movement amount for a first sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the first sheet, the controller sets a second movement amount for a second sheet when an image is formed on a first side of the second sheet, and controls the sheet moving motor such that the first sheet is moved in the width direction by the first movement amount when an image is formed on a second side of the first sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 2, 2016
    Publication date: February 16, 2017
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20170038712
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image fixing portion detachably mountable to a main assembly and including first and second rollers forming an image fixing nip therebetween; a rubbing roller for rubbing treatment of the first roller; a setting portion for setting whether to permit the execution of the treatment when a number of the recording materials fed to the fixing portion exceeds a predetermined number; a storing portion, provided in the fixing portion, for storing set information corresponding to the setting relating to permission of the treatment set through the setting portion; and a controller for controlling execution of the treatment. If the set information in the storing portion indicates the permission of the treatment, the controller executes the treatment. If not, the controller does not execute the treatment.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 3, 2016
    Publication date: February 9, 2017
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoya, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Publication number: 20170031307
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station; a mounting portion for mounting one of fixing devices each including a first roller and a second roller which cooperate to form a nip for fixing a toner image on a sheet fed from the image forming station, a rubbing roller configured to rub a surface of the first roller, a storing portion capable of storing information; a counter for counting sheets fed to the fixing device mounted on the mounting portion and to store number indicative of the number counted by the counter in the storing portion of the fixing device; and an executing portion for effecting a rubbing treatment to the first roller of the fixing device, when the number counted by the counter on the basis of the number in the storing portion of the fixing device mounted on the mounting portion exceeds a predetermined number.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 25, 2016
    Publication date: February 2, 2017
    Inventors: Katsuya Nakama, Satoru Yamamoto, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Akinobu Nishikata, Akihiro Kawakita, Toshiyuki Miyake, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara
  • Publication number: 20170003637
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming station for forming an unfixed toner image on a sheet; a fixing portion detachably mountable to the apparatus, said fixing portion including a rotatable member for being contacted by an image carrying surface of the sheet; a jam detector for detecting jamming in said fixing portion; an executing portion for executing a cleaning process for said rotatable member after clearance of the jamming; a storing portion, provided on said fixing portion, for storing information as to whether or not the cleaning process is executed; and a display for displaying a state of capability of image forming operation. The executing portion executes the cleaning process before said display displays the state, when the information stored in said storing portion of said fixing portion mounted in said main assembly indicates non-execution of said cleaning process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 29, 2016
    Publication date: January 5, 2017
    Inventors: Katsuya Nakama, Satoru Yamamoto, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Nobuhiro Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20160327895
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form a toner image on a recording material to execute a job; a fixing portion configured to fix, on the recording material, the toner image formed by the image forming portion, the fixing portion being capable of being replaced with another fixing portion depending on a content of the job; and a selecting portion configured to cause an operator to select one of a plurality of modes when a plurality of jobs are successively reserved. The plurality of modes includes a first mode in which execution order is changed so as to decrease a number of times of replacement of the fixing portion and then the plurality of jobs are executed in the changed execution order and a second mode in which the plurality of jobs are executed in reserved order.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 22, 2016
    Publication date: November 10, 2016
    Inventors: Nobuhiro Kikuchi, Yasuharu Chiyoda, Masahiro Tsujibayashi, Satoru Yamamoto, Katsuya Nakama
  • Publication number: 20160306312
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a movable regulation member that regulates a trailing edge side position of a sheet stack stored in a storage portion in a sheet feeding direction, a trailing edge detection portion, movable together with the regulation member, that detects a sheet surface on the trailing edge side of the sheet stack, and a control unit that detects whether the regulation member is positioned to an end surface on the trailing edge side of the sheet stack based on a detection result by the trailing edge detection portion, and that causes a display unit to provide a warning if the regulation member is not positioned to the end surface, wherein, if a predetermined sheet with thicknesses different between leading edge and trailing edge sides thereof in the sheet feeding direction is set by a setting unit, the control unit does not cause the display unit to provide the warning.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2016
    Publication date: October 20, 2016
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Miyake, Satoru Yamamoto, Takashi Yokoya, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita
  • Patent number: 9376276
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a containing unit, a lifting and lowering unit, a loosening unit, a feed unit, a sheet-surface detection unit, an aligning member, a trailing-edge detection unit, a double-feed detection unit, and a control unit. Sheets, of a sheet bundle contained in the containing unit and lifted and lowered, are loosened by blowing air into the sheet bundle and fed. An end face of the contained sheet bundle is aligned on a trailing-edge side. The trailing-edge detection unit moves with the aligning member and detects a sheet surface of a top of the sheet bundle on the trailing-edge side. Where double feed from the containing unit is detected, a detection operation detects, in consideration of a trailing-edge detection unit result, whether the aligning member is located at a position at which the end face of the sheet bundle on the trailing-edge side is aligned.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: June 28, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takashi Yokoya, Satoru Yamamoto, Toshiyuki Miyake, Katsuya Nakama, Koji Yumoto, Akinobu Nishikata, Kenji Morita, Riki Fukuhara, Akihiro Kawakita