Patents by Inventor Kazunori Katada

Kazunori Katada 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: 10139762
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that develops, with toner, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier on the basis of a job and prints a first image on continuous paper and; a hardware processor that controls the image former to print a second image on continuous paper in a case where at least either image information or continuous printing distance information of the first image formed by the image former satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the hardware processor notifies a user of print information indicating a print position of the second image formed by the image former.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazunori Katada
  • Publication number: 20180224784
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image former that develops, with toner, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier on the basis of a job and prints a first image on continuous paper and; a hardware processor that controls the image former to print a second image on continuous paper in a case where at least either image information or continuous printing distance information of the first image formed by the image former satisfies a predetermined condition, wherein the hardware processor notifies a user of print information indicating a print position of the second image formed by the image former.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: August 9, 2018
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventor: Kazunori KATADA
  • Patent number: 9946201
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus contains a control portion that controls a cooling operation of the fixing portion. The control portion sets an image confirmable position in which an image formed on a long sheet is confirmable. When a print job on the long sheet finishes, the control portion starts the cooling operation of the fixing portion and controls the conveying portion to convey the long sheet until a rear end of a final image fixed by a fixing portion reaches the image confirmable position and finishes the cooling operation of the fixing portion until the rear end of the image fixed by the fixing portion reaches the image confirmable position. The control portion also sets the image confirmable position to be at an outermost circumference of rolled paper reeled by a reeling apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 17, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kazunori Katada
  • Patent number: 9690239
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes the following. A conveying unit conveys a continuous sheet at least longer than a length of the apparatus itself. A first rotating member can be pressed to and separated from a second rotating member. The first rotating member can be rotated separated from the second rotating member. The continuous sheet can be stopped and held when the first rotating member is separated from the second rotating member. The image forming apparatus further includes a control unit. When the continuous sheet is stopped and held and the rotation of the first rotating member is started separated from the second rotating member, the control unit moves at least one of the first rotating member and the continuous sheet so that the continuous sheet is not in contact with the first rotating member, and then the control unit starts rotation of the first rotating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Makoto Ui, Kazunori Katada, Toshiaki Tomino
  • Publication number: 20170090362
    Abstract: An image-forming apparatus contains a control portion that controls a cooling operation of the fixing portion. The control portion sets an image confirmable position in which an image formed on a long sheet is confirmable. When a print job on the long sheet finishes, the control portion starts the cooling operation of the fixing portion and controls the conveying portion to convey the long sheet until a rear end of a final image fixed by a fixing portion reaches the image confirmable position and finishes the cooling operation of the fixing portion until the rear end of the image fixed by the fixing portion reaches the image confirmable position. The control portion also sets the image confirmable position to be at an outermost circumference of rolled paper reeled by a reeling apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kazunori KATADA
  • Publication number: 20160282775
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes the following. A conveying unit conveys a continuous sheet at least longer than a length of the apparatus itself. A first rotating member can be pressed to and separated from a second rotating member. The first rotating member can be rotated separated from the second rotating member. The continuous sheet can be stopped and held when the first rotating member is separated from the second rotating member. The image forming apparatus further includes a control unit. When the continuous sheet is stopped and held and the rotation of the first rotating member is started separated from the second rotating member, the control unit moves at least one of the first rotating member and the continuous sheet so that the continuous sheet is not in contact with the first rotating member, and then the control unit starts rotation of the first rotating member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 22, 2016
    Publication date: September 29, 2016
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Makoto UI, Kazunori KATADA, Toshiaki TOMINO
  • Patent number: 9360809
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet conveyance section configured to convey a long sheet; a toner image forming section configured to form a toner image on the long sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section; a fixing section configured to fix the toner image formed by the toner image forming section on the long sheet; and an information presenting section configured to display information relating to sheet conveyance, the information relating to sheet conveyance including waste sheet information indicating a conveyance amount of the long sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section during a non-image formation period.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 7, 2016
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventor: Kazunori Katada
  • Publication number: 20160091842
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet conveyance section configured to convey a long sheet; a toner image forming section configured to form a toner image on the long sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section; a fixing section configured to fix the toner image formed by the toner image forming section on the long sheet; and an information presenting section configured to display information relating to sheet conveyance, the information relating to sheet conveyance including waste sheet information indicating a conveyance amount of the long sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section during a non-image formation period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 18, 2015
    Publication date: March 31, 2016
    Inventor: Kazunori KATADA
  • Patent number: 7953342
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having: an image carrier to carry a toner image; a transfer unit to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto a sheet through a rotating member disposed to face the image carrier; a fixing unit to heat and fix the transferred toner image onto the sheet; and a cooling device to suctions air from a transfer unit side and discharge the air to a fixing unit side.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nakamura, Masami Maruko, Kazunori Katada
  • Publication number: 20090202267
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, having: an image carrier to carry a toner image; a transfer unit to transfer the toner image on the image carrier onto a sheet through a rotating member disposed to face the image carrier; a fixing unit to heat and fix the transferred toner image onto the sheet; and a cooling device to suctions air from a transfer unit side and discharge the air to a fixing unit side.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 3, 2009
    Publication date: August 13, 2009
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nakamura, Masami Maruko, Kazunori Katada
  • Patent number: 7546079
    Abstract: There is described a fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image onto a recording material, which makes it possible not only to reduce the frictional resistance generated between a temperature sensor and a heating member, but also to prevent occurrences of abnormal sounds and breaking of the wire coupled to the temperature sensor, both caused by the direct contact between them. The fixing apparatus includes: a heating member provided with a surface layer, which is elastically deformable and includes the paper sheet passing area and the paper sheet non-passing area; a pressing member that press-contacts the heating member; and a temperature sensor that contacts the paper sheet non-passing area of the surface layer. A surface roughness Ra of the paper sheet non-passing area is set at such a value that is larger than that of a paper sheet passing area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 9, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazunori Katada, Masami Maruko, Masakazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7433623
    Abstract: The image forming apparatus cools the recording sheet with a cooling fan having an air duct with a first air-blowing outlet and a second air-blowing outlet for directing air from the cooling fan to an interior of the apparatus. An air flow changing member opens or closes the first and second air-blowing outlets, depending on the conveying path of the recording sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Masakazu Nakamura, Masami Maruko, Kazunori Katada
  • Publication number: 20080031661
    Abstract: There is described a fixing apparatus for fixing a toner image onto a recording material, which makes it possible not only to reduce the frictional resistance generated between a temperature sensor and a heating member, but also to prevent occurrences of abnormal sounds and breaking of the wire coupled to the temperature sensor, both caused by the direct contact between them. The fixing apparatus includes: a heating member provided with a surface layer, which is elastically deformable and includes the paper sheet passing area and the paper sheet non-passing area; a pressing member that press-contacts the heating member; and a temperature sensor that contacts the paper sheet non-passing area of the surface layer. A surface roughness Ra of the paper sheet non-passing area is set at such a value that is larger than that of a paper sheet passing area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2007
    Publication date: February 7, 2008
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kazunori Katada, Masami Maruko, Masakazu Nakamura
  • Patent number: 7187898
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing toner including wax on a transfer sheet including a fixing rotating member for fixing toner on the transfer sheet with a rotation thereof, and first cleaning member contacting to the fixing rotating member so as to remove melted wax on the fixing rotating member. A surface roughness Rz of the first cleaning member is not more than 1.6 ?m.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2007
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Katayanagi, Masami Maruko, Hajime Tanaka, Kazunori Katada, Masashi Saito, Toshiki Hayami
  • Publication number: 20060133865
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a conveying unit including plural conveying paths, a cooling fan, an air duct including a first air-blowing outlet and a second air-blowing outlet for conducting air from the cooling fan to an interior of the apparatus, and an air flow changing member for opening or closing the first and second air-blowing outlets, wherein the recording sheet on the different conveying path is cooled by changing the air flow changing member. An image forming apparatus having, an image forming unit, a fixing unit, a conveying unit, a cooling fan for cooling the recording material on which the toner image is formed, and a restrict member for restricting a volume of drawing of air by the cooling fan.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 9, 2005
    Publication date: June 22, 2006
    Inventors: Masakazu Nakamura, Masami Maruko, Kazunori Katada
  • Publication number: 20050019069
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having a fixing device for fixing toner including wax on a transfer sheet comprising a fixing rotating member for fixing toner on the transfer sheet with a rotation thereof, and first cleaning member contacting to the fixing rotating member so as to remove melted wax on the fixing rotating member. A surface roughness Rz of the first cleaning member is not more than 1.6 ?m.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 22, 2004
    Publication date: January 27, 2005
    Inventors: Hidetoshi Katayanagi, Masami Maruko, Hajime Tanaka, Kazunori Katada, Masashi Saito, Toshiki Hayami
  • Patent number: 6671475
    Abstract: A transmission mechanism for transmitting rotation of a driving source in a main body to an object mounted on the main body for receiving the rotation, the transmission mechanism comprising a plurality of couplings provided at different positions along an axial direction of a rotating axis; wherein each of the couplings comprises, a male coupling member having a plurality of protrusions provided at an identical internal on an outer circumferential surface of the rotating axis; and a female coupling member having a plurality of protrusions for engaging with the male coupling's protrusions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2003
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Kazunori Katada, Masami Maruko, Naoto Tokutake, Takehito Hiraga, Satoshi Hamaya, Susumu Tashiro
  • Publication number: 20010008590
    Abstract: A transmission mechanism for transmitting rotation of a driving source in a main body to an object mounted on the main body for receiving the rotation, the transmission mechanism comprising a plurality of couplings provided at different positions along an axial direction of a rotating axis; wherein each of the couplings comprises, a male coupling member having a plurality of convex elements provided at an identical internal on an outer circumferential surface of the rotating axis; and a female coupling member having a plurality of concave elements for engaging with the convex elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2001
    Publication date: July 19, 2001
    Inventors: Kazunori Katada, Masami Maruko, Naoto Tokutake, Takehito Hiraga, Satoshi Hamaya, Susumu Tashiro
  • Patent number: 5953561
    Abstract: A process cartridge for use in an image forming apparatus, includes: a photoreceptor for bearing an image thereon; a processing member for image formation; and a heat roller included in a heat fixing device for fixing a developed image formed on a recording sheet. The photoreceptor, the processing member and the heat roller are integrally provided on the process cartridge which is attachable to the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 1998
    Date of Patent: September 14, 1999
    Assignee: Konica Corporation
    Inventors: Susumu Tashiro, Naoki Otomo, Mitsugu Nemoto, Yutaka Miyasaka, Motozi Kawamoto, Kazunori Katada