Patents by Inventor Kazuhiro Hosohara

Kazuhiro Hosohara 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: 11932510
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion configured to support a sheet, a feed rotary member configured to feed the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, a curved conveyance path through which the sheet fed by the feed rotary member passes and which is curved upward, an upper conveyance path disposed above the sheet supporting portion so as to pass through a sheet and configured to join with the curved conveyance path, and a driven rotary member disposed inside of the curved conveyance path in a curved direction thereof and driven to rotate by the sheet passing though the curved conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jumpei Nitta, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Patent number: 11926498
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a feeding portion, a conveying portion configured to convey the sheet fed by the feeding portion, a separation member, a returning portion, the returning portion pushing the sheet back toward the sheet supporting portion by moving from a retracting position to a protruding position, and a pressing portion including a contact portion configured to contact the sheet. The pressing portion is configured to press the sheet from above via the contact portion such that the sheet is pushed toward the returning portion in a state where the returning portion is positioned at the protruding position and below the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hosohara, Tomoya Tateishi
  • Patent number: 11868078
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a side surface portion in which an opening is formed, a cartridge, an opening/closing member configured to be moved with respect to the apparatus body between a closed position and an opened position, a sheet stacking portion, a feed roller, and a lifting member configured to lift and lower the feed roller. In the state where the opening/closing member is positioned in the closed position, at least part of the lifting member is positioned an inside of a movement locus through which the cartridge passes in a case where the cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus body. In a state where the opening/closing member is positioned in the opened position, a whole of the lifting member is positioned an outside of the movement locus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2024
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Tomoya Tateishi, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20230109402
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an attachable/detachable storage unit having a positioned portion projecting downstream in an attachment direction of the storage unit, a conveyance member, an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet conveyed by the conveyance member, and a conveyance unit to move between a first position and a second position. Engagement of the positioned portion with a positioning portion of the image forming apparatus causes the storage unit to be positioned with respect to the image forming apparatus. The conveyance unit includes a contact portion and a depressed portion. In a case where the contact portion of the conveyance unit comes into contact with the storage unit and the conveyance unit is moved from the second position to the first position by the storage unit, the positioned portion does not come into contact with the depressed portion of the conveyance unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 4, 2022
    Publication date: April 6, 2023
    Inventors: Fuyuto Yamashita, Kazuhiro Hosohara, Tomoya Tateishi, Tatsuo Nishiyama
  • Publication number: 20220380153
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion, a feeding portion, a conveying portion configured to convey the sheet fed by the feeding portion, a separation member, a returning portion, the returning portion pushing the sheet back toward the sheet supporting portion by moving from a retracting position to a protruding position, and a pressing portion including a contact portion configured to contact the sheet. The pressing portion is configured to press the sheet from above via the contact portion such that the sheet is pushed toward the returning portion in a state where the returning portion is positioned at the protruding position and below the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 18, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hosohara, Tomoya Tateishi
  • Publication number: 20220382208
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a side surface portion in which an opening is formed, a cartridge, an opening/closing member configured to be moved with respect to the apparatus body between a closed position and an opened position, a sheet stacking portion, a feed roller, and a lifting member configured to lift and lower the feed roller. In the state where the opening/closing member is positioned in the closed position, at least part of the lifting member is positioned an inside of a movement locus through which the cartridge passes in a case where the cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus body. In a state where the opening/closing member is positioned in the opened position, a whole of the lifting member is positioned an outside of the movement locus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 20, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Tomoya Tateishi, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20220380152
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device includes a tray, a feeding member, a conveying member, a separation member, a transmission unit, and a biasing member. The separation member abuts the conveying member and separates a single sheet from sheets fed by the feeding member. The transmission unit includes first and second portions respectively having first and second transmission surfaces. Where the first and second transmission surfaces abut each other, the first portion drives the second portion that drives the feeding member. The biasing member biases either of the first and second portions so that the first and second transmission surfaces move away from each other. The conveying member is driven in a state where the separation member abuts the conveying member and the feeding member abuts the sheet stacked on the tray and is stopped. Thereafter, the first and second transmission surfaces abut each other, and the feeding member is driven.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2022
    Publication date: December 1, 2022
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hosohara, Tomoya Tateishi
  • Publication number: 20220185605
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an apparatus body, a cover openably and closably supported between a first closed position and a first open position, a first supporting portion movable between a second closed position and a second open position, an interlocking portion configured to move the first supporting portion from the second closed position to the second open position in a case where the cover is opened from the first closed position to the first open position, a second supporting portion drawably supported by the first supporting portion, and a feed portion configured to feed the sheet supported by the first and second supporting portions. A moving angle of the first supporting portion in moving from the second closed position to the second open position is smaller than a moving angle of the cover in moving from the first closed position to the first open position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 24, 2021
    Publication date: June 16, 2022
    Inventors: Jumpei Nitta, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20220127089
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes an opening/closing unit including a stacking portion, a moving unit including a feed roller and a moving member supporting the feed roller, an urging portion, and a transmitting portion configured to transmit urging force of the urging portion to the moving member. The opening/closing unit is configured to press and move the moving unit in the second direction against the urging force while the opening/closing unit moves from the open position to the closed position. A force that the opening/closing unit receives from the moving unit in a state where the opening/closing unit is at the closed position is smaller than a maximum force that the opening/closing unit receives from the moving unit that is urged in the first direction by the urging portion while the opening/closing unit moves from the open position to the closed position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 8, 2021
    Publication date: April 28, 2022
    Inventors: Tomoya Tateishi, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20220009735
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a sheet supporting portion configured to support a sheet, a feed rotary member configured to feed the sheet supported by the sheet supporting portion, a curved conveyance path through which the sheet fed by the feed rotary member passes and which is curved upward, an upper conveyance path disposed above the sheet supporting portion so as to pass through a sheet and configured to join with the curved conveyance path, and a driven rotary member disposed inside of the curved conveyance path in a curved direction thereof and driven to rotate by the sheet passing though the curved conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 1, 2021
    Publication date: January 13, 2022
    Inventors: Jumpei NITTA, Kazuhiro HOSOHARA
  • Patent number: 10029870
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a first clutch and a second clutch. The first clutch transmits rotation of the driving unit in a first rotation direction to the first feeding device without transmitting rotation of the driving unit in a second rotation direction that is reverse to the first rotation direction to the first feeding device. The second clutch transmits the rotation of the driving unit in the second rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device and without transmitting the rotation of the driving unit in the first rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device. The third transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a conveyance device. The fourth transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a double-side printing conveyance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 24, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Azeta, Toshiyuki Watanabe, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20170088376
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a first clutch and a second clutch. The first clutch transmits rotation of the driving unit in a first rotation direction to the first feeding device without transmitting rotation of the driving unit in a second rotation direction that is reverse to the first rotation direction to the first feeding device. The second clutch transmits the rotation of the driving unit in the second rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device and without transmitting the rotation of the driving unit in the first rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device. The third transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a conveyance device. The fourth transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a double-side printing conveyance device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 8, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventors: Takahiro Azeta, Toshiyuki Watanabe, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Patent number: 9586775
    Abstract: In a sheet feeding apparatus without increase in size and without fluctuation in sheet feeding interval, a clutch is brought into a disconnected state after a separation roller separates from a feed roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Date of Patent: March 7, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Patent number: 9561924
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a first clutch and a second clutch. The first clutch transmits rotation of the driving unit in a first rotation direction to the first feeding device without transmitting rotation of the driving unit in a second rotation direction that is reverse to the first rotation direction to the first feeding device. The second clutch transmits the rotation of the driving unit in the second rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device and without transmitting the rotation of the driving unit in the first rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device. The third transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a conveyance device. The fourth transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a double-side printing conveyance device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2017
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Azeta, Toshiyuki Watanabe, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Patent number: 9442449
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus configured such that a primarily-transferred toner image is secondarily transferred onto a recording material at a secondary transfer portion formed between a transfer belt and a secondary transfer roller, includes a belt unit configured to support the transfer belt in a rotatable manner; and a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the recording material toward the secondary transfer portion. Both the belt unit and the sheet feeding unit are positioned and fixed on the same main stay, so that higher printing accuracy is achieved in consideration of a mutual positional relationship between the sheet feeding portion and the image forming portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Watanabe, Takahiro Azeta, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20160161893
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus configured such that a primarily-transferred toner image is secondarily transferred onto a recording material at a secondary transfer portion formed between a transfer belt and a secondary transfer roller, includes a belt unit configured to support the transfer belt in a rotatable manner; and a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the recording material toward the secondary transfer portion. Both the belt unit and the sheet feeding unit are positioned and fixed on the same main stay, so that higher printing accuracy is achieved in consideration of a mutual positional relationship between the sheet feeding portion and the image forming portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2015
    Publication date: June 9, 2016
    Inventors: Toshiyuki Watanabe, Takahiro Azeta, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20160152426
    Abstract: In a sheet feeding apparatus without increase in size and without fluctuation in sheet feeding interval, a clutch is brought into a disconnected state after a separation roller separates from a feed roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 1, 2015
    Publication date: June 2, 2016
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Publication number: 20160137443
    Abstract: The apparatus includes a first clutch and a second clutch. The first clutch transmits rotation of the driving unit in a first rotation direction to the first feeding device without transmitting rotation of the driving unit in a second rotation direction that is reverse to the first rotation direction to the first feeding device. The second clutch transmits the rotation of the driving unit in the second rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device and without transmitting the rotation of the driving unit in the first rotation direction to the conveyance device and the double-side printing conveyance device. The third transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a conveyance device. The fourth transmission path is configured to transmit the rotation of the driving unit to a double-side printing conveyance device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2015
    Publication date: May 19, 2016
    Inventors: Takahiro Azeta, Toshiyuki Watanabe, Kazuhiro Hosohara
  • Patent number: 9217945
    Abstract: Provided is a small sized belt conveying apparatus provided with a separating unit configured to move a transfer member and an image forming apparatus provided with the belt transfer apparatus. The image forming apparatus includes a drive unit configured to transmit a drive force from a drive source provided in an apparatus body, and a drive transmitting unit configured to transmit the drive force branched and transmitted from the drive unit. The separating unit is configured to move the transfer member by a drive force transmitted by the drive transmitting unit via the drive unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 22, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kazuhiro Hosohara, Takeo Kawanami
  • Patent number: 9187274
    Abstract: A sheet feeding apparatus includes a stacking plate configured to stack sheets, a sheet feeding unit configured to feed the sheets by contacting the sheets stacked on the stacking plate, an elevating unit configured to elevate the stacking plate by a drive transmitted from a drive unit, a drive transmission unit configured to transmit the drive from the drive unit to drive the sheet feeding unit, and a clutch mechanism configured to cause the drive transmission unit to transmit the drive from the drive unit to the sheet feeding unit after the elevating unit urges the sheets stacked on the stacking plate toward the sheet feeding unit by elevating the stacking plate.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 14, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 17, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kazuhiro Hosohara