Patents by Inventor Kazutoshi Yoshimura

Kazutoshi Yoshimura 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: 8205872
    Abstract: A sheet supply device including an elevation section for up and down movement of the sheet bundle accommodated on the sheet placement table, blow sections for blowing air to the upper side surface of the sheet bundle to float up the sheet from the aforementioned sheet bundle, and a non-contact sheet detection sensor for detecting the existence or nonexistence of a sheet at the predetermined position of the aforementioned sheet placement table. The elevation drive motor is controlled in such a way as to move the sheet bundle up and down, based on the frequency or ratio of the sheet existence in the detection result of the sheet detection sensor in the operation mode of the blow section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 26, 2012
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumichi Yamauchi, Kenji Yamamoto, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20110116813
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a sheet conveyance section having a sheet storing member to store sheets that have been aligned in a prescribed placing direction, which conveys a sheet stored in the sheet storing member; an image forming section having an image carrier, which forms an image on the image carrier; an image transfer section which transfers the image formed on the image carrier onto a sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section; a winding detection section which detects whether or not the sheet conveyed by the sheet conveyance section is wound around the image carrier; and a controller which controls to instruct an operator to conduct a change operation of the placing direction of the sheets stored in the sheet storing member based on a sheet winding detection signal outputted from the winding detection section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 11, 2010
    Publication date: May 19, 2011
    Inventors: Akira OKAMOTO, Kenji Yamamoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideki Nakamura, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Masatoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 7894764
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which includes: an image forming section to form an image on a transfer sheet conveyed to the image forming section; an edge detecting sensor which detects an edge position of the transfer sheet in a main scanning direction while the transfer sheet is conveyed to the image forming section; and a controller which controls an image writing position at the image forming section based on a result of an edge position detection by the edge detecting sensor; wherein the edge detecting sensor comprises a plurality of light sources each having a different wavelength, and the controller comprises a light source controller which controls lighting of the plural light sources.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumichi Yamauchi, Satoshi Sakata, Kenji Yamamoto, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20110033217
    Abstract: There is described an image forming system, which confirms a finished state of an image at any time during the implementation of the image forming job as needed. The system includes: an image forming section to respectively form images on recording materials; a stacking section to stack the recording materials continuously ejected from the image forming section; an instruction inputting section from which an operator inputs instruction information; an ejecting section to stack a part of the recording materials in such a manner that the operator can pick up stacked recording materials by hand; a controlling section to conduct controlling operations in response to the instruction information, inputted from the instruction inputting section during an implementation of an image forming job including an operation for stacking the recording materials ejected from the image forming section, in order to eject the part of the recording materials onto the ejecting section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2010
    Publication date: February 10, 2011
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Utami Soma, Satoshi Sakata, Masanobu Kawano, Kenji Yamamoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7877034
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, a sheet finisher and an image forming system; each of them including: a display for displaying a work item for a maintenance in the form of a guidance display; a detection section for detecting whether the work item is executed or not; an energization controller for supplying/blocking power supply to electric components to be maintained; a connection judging section for judging whether the electric components are electrically connected with the power supply or not; and a controller for controlling the display to switch displays of the work item and for controlling the energization controller, in accordance with a detection result of the detection section; wherein the controller causes the display to display an alarm and a guidance display of a corresponding work, according to a judgment of the connection judging section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 25, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Hideki Nakamura, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Satoshi Sakata, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Akira Okamoto, Kenji Yamamoto
  • Patent number: 7865103
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a visible image on a transfer sheet according to a job, the image forming apparatus including: a plurality of sheet feed trays adapted to load plural kinds of transfer sheets; an image forming section for forming a visible image according to image data on a transfer sheet; a conveying section for conveying a transfer sheet from each of the plurality of sheet feed trays toward the image forming section; a display section for displaying various items; a color detection section for detecting a transfer sheet color of the transfer sheet being conveyed by the conveying section; and a control section for controlling a conveyance of the transfer sheet and the image formation, wherein the control section displays a transfer sheet color designated by the job and the transfer sheet color detected by the color detection section on the display section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Date of Patent: January 4, 2011
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Satoshi Sakata, Kenji Yamamoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20100329758
    Abstract: A sheet supplying device, including a sheet accommodating section which accommodates recording sheets, and is removable from a main body of the sheet supplying device, a locking section which locks the sheet accommodating section within the main body, not to draw out the sheet accommodating section from the main body, a suction conveying section which vacuums the recording sheet accommodated in the sheet accommodating section and conveys the recording sheet, and a suction detecting section which detects the recording sheet vacuumed by the suction conveying section, wherein when the suction conveying section has supplied the recording sheet, if the suction detecting sensor detects the recording sheet, the locking section locks the sheet accommodating section within the main body of the sheet supplying device, and if it does not detect the recording sheet, the locking section releases the sheet accommodating section from the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 18, 2010
    Publication date: December 30, 2010
    Inventors: Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Kenji YAMAMOTO, Kazumichi YAMAUCHI, Hideki NAKAMURA, Akira OKAMOTO, Masatoshi OGAWA
  • Publication number: 20100322642
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus provided with a sheet feeding tray to store sheets for image forming; a sheet feeding section to feed the sheets form the sheet feeding tray so as to supply the sheets for the image forming; and a control section to individually administer remaining sheets stored in the sheet feeding tray in advance and replenishment sheets replenished when the sheet feeding tray is replenished with the sheets in a state where the sheets stored in the sheet feeding tray in advance is remaining. Whereby, a JOB can be continued or aborted appropriately with reference to information and remaining amounts of remaining sheets and replenishment sheets in one sheet feeding tray, since the information and the remaining amounts are administered individually.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 11, 2010
    Publication date: December 23, 2010
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumichi YAMAUCHI, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Masatoshi Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20100225047
    Abstract: There are provided a plurality of sheet feed trays in which sheets are stored, a sheet feeding section which enables a continuous sheet feeding of sheets stored in the above sheet feed tray, and a control section which controls the above sheet feeding section and has an auto tray switch function, and the aforesaid control section obtains information on an amount of sheets stored in the above sheet feed tray, during a continuous sheet feeding from the above sheet feed tray, and judges whether or not the amount of the remaining sheets in the above sheet feed tray satisfies the prescribed condition. In the case where the above prescribed condition is satisfied, the control section stops motion of sheet feeding from the above sheet feed tray while leaving sheets in the above sheet feed tray.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 26, 2010
    Publication date: September 9, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Kazumichi YAMAUCHI, Hideki NAKAMURA, Akira OKAMOTO, Yoshiki KATAYAMA, Masatoshi OGAWA
  • Publication number: 20100150581
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus including a unit in which a replaceable part is loaded, an image forming section to form an image on a recording medium by an operation of the unit, a malfunction detection section to detect a malfunction of the unit or the part and a control section to carry out a control of the image forming apparatus, and when an operation mode to executed an image forming by the image forming section is an image forming mode and when the operation mode which allows a maintenance/replacement of the unit is a maintenance/replacement mode, the control section changes a control of the image forming apparatus according to whether the operation mode when the malfunction was detected by the malfunction detection section is the image forming mode or the maintenance/replacement mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 15, 2009
    Publication date: June 17, 2010
    Inventors: Hideki NAKAMURA, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Akira Okamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Masatoshi Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20100123281
    Abstract: A sheet supply device including an elevation section for up and down movement of the sheet bundle accommodated on the sheet placement table, blow sections for blowing air to the upper side surface of the sheet bundle to float up the sheet from the aforementioned sheet bundle, and a non-contact sheet detection sensor for detecting the existence or nonexistence of a sheet at the predetermined position of the aforementioned sheet placement table. The elevation drive motor is controlled in such a way as to move the sheet bundle up and down, based on the frequency or ratio of the sheet existence in the detection result of the sheet detection sensor in the operation mode of the blow section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 6, 2009
    Publication date: May 20, 2010
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kazumichi YAMAUCHI, Kenji Yamamoto, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto, Yoshiki Katayama, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7650108
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for use with a transfer sheet includes: a sheet feeding unit structured to feed the transfer sheet; a color detection sensor structured to detect color information on the transfer sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit; a recognition section structured to recognize whether the transfer sheet subjected to the detection by the color detection sensor is a non-tabbed transfer sheet having no tab, or either a tabbed transfer sheet having a tab or an unprocessed tabbed transfer sheet blank, the unprocessed tabbed transfer sheet blank being capable of being processed into a tabbed transfer sheet having a tab by post-processing, wherein a recognition result is made based on the color information detected by the color detection sensor; and a control section that controls image forming on and conveying of the fed transfer sheet, according to the recognition result by the recognition section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 19, 2010
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamamoto, Satoshi Sakata, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7583282
    Abstract: When images are to be printed on two, front and lower surfaces of a sheet, in order to register the position of the image on the front surface and the position of the image on the back surface highly accurately, an image printing apparatus of this invention includes an image printing section which forms the image for the front surface of the sheet as well as an image of a reference mark on a photosensitive member at one portion in a region outside an image printing region and transfers the images onto the front surface of the sheet, a fixing unit which fixes the transferred images on the sheet, a line sensor which detects the reference mark after fixing printed on the front surface of the sheet, an arithmetic operating section which obtains a shrinkage factor of the sheet on the basis of a size of the reference mark before fixing and a size of the detected reference mark after fixing and calculates a position and magnification of the image to be printed on the back surface on the basis of the shrinkage factor
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2006
    Date of Patent: September 1, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazumichi Yamauchi, Satoshi Sakata, Akira Okamoto, Kenji Yamamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7574167
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus having therein an image forming device that transfers an image onto a transfer sheet and a reversing device that reverses the transfer sheet, wherein the image forming device transfers an image on the front surface of the transfer sheet, then, the reversing device reverses the sheet, and the image forming device transfers an image onto the rear surface of the sheet and the image forming apparatus further has therein a correcting device that corrects the overall skew of the transfer sheet depending on an inclination of a leading side of a transfer sheet in the conveyance direction set in advance before an image is formed on the front surface, and corrects the overall skew of the transfer sheet depending on an inclination of a leading side of a transfer sheet in the conveyance direction set in advance before an image is formed on the rear surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 11, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 11, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Okamoto, Satoshi Sakata, Kenji Yamamoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Patent number: 7525564
    Abstract: An image printing apparatus, which can correct variation in inter-sheet distance at the time of conveyance of transfer sheets, comprising an image printing section which performs image printing by sequentially conveying a plurality of transfer sheets at predetermined intervals at a first convey velocity and performing transfer and fixing of a toner image on each transfer sheet, a timepiece section which measures a time required for the image printing section to perform image printing on the each transfer sheet, and a delivery convey section which receives each transfer sheet on which image printing is performed by the image printing section and delivers the each transfer sheets while adjusting intervals therebetween by conveying the each transfer sheets upon changing the convey velocity to a second convey velocity set on the basis of the measured time required for the image printing on the each transfer sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 27, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 28, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Akira Okamoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20090052930
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for forming a visible image on a transfer sheet according to a job, the image forming apparatus including: a plurality of sheet feed trays adapted to load plural kinds of transfer sheets; an image forming section for forming a visible image according to image data on a transfer sheet; a conveying section for conveying a transfer sheet from each of the plurality of sheet feed trays toward the image forming section; a display section for displaying various items; a color detection section for detecting a transfer sheet color of the transfer sheet being conveyed by the conveying section; and a control section for controlling a conveyance of the transfer sheet and the image formation, wherein the control section displays a transfer sheet color designated by the job and the transfer sheet color detected by the color detection section on the display section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 10, 2008
    Publication date: February 26, 2009
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Satoshi Sakata, Kenji Yamamoto, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Hideki Nakamura, Akira Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20090016763
    Abstract: Disclosed is an image forming apparatus, a sheet finisher and an image forming system; each of them including: a display for displaying a work item for a maintenance in the form of a guidance display; a detection section for detecting whether the work item is executed or not; an energization controller for supplying/blocking power supply to electric components to be maintained; a connection judging section for judging whether the electric components are electrically connected with the power supply or not; and a controller for controlling the display to switch displays of the work item and for controlling the energization controller, in accordance with a detection result of the detection section; wherein the controller causes the display to display an alarm and a guidance display of a corresponding work, according to a judgment of the connection judging section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2008
    Publication date: January 15, 2009
    Inventors: Hideki NAKAMURA, Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Satoshi SAKATA, Kazumichi YAMAUCHI, Akira OKAMOTO, Kenji YAMAMOTO
  • Patent number: 7404559
    Abstract: Disclosed is a sheet feeding apparatus comprises: a multiple feed detecting section; a temperature detecting section; and a control section. The multiple feed detecting section has an ultrasonic transmitter and an ultrasonic receiver arranged on opposite sides of the conveyance path for conveying the sheets, and detects the feed of multiple sheets by, transmitting an ultrasonic wave from the ultrasonic transmitter to the ultrasonic receiver through at least one sheet traveling along the conveyance path, and comparing the ultrasonic wave received by the ultrasonic receiver with a reference level. The temperature detecting section detects a temperature of the apparatus, and the control section adjusts a detecting condition of the multiple feed detecting section based on the detected temperature.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Akira Okamoto
  • Publication number: 20080107433
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus for use with a transfer sheet includes: a sheet feeding unit structured to feed the transfer sheet; a color detection sensor structured to detect color information on the transfer sheet fed from the sheet feeding unit; a recognition section structured to recognize whether the transfer sheet subjected to the detection by the color detection sensor is a non-tabbed transfer sheet having no tab, or either a tabbed transfer sheet having a tab or an unprocessed tabbed transfer sheet blank, the unprocessed tabbed transfer sheet blank being capable of being processed into a tabbed transfer sheet having a tab by post-processing, wherein a recognition result is made based on the color information detected by the color detection sensor; and a control section that controls image forming on and conveying of the fed transfer sheet, according to the recognition result by the recognition section.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA BUSINESS TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Kenji Yamamoto, Satoshi Sakata, Kazumichi Yamauchi, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura
  • Publication number: 20070297821
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus, which includes: an image forming section to form an image on a transfer sheet conveyed to the image forming section; an edge detecting sensor which detects an edge position of the transfer sheet in a main scanning direction while the transfer sheet is conveyed to the image forming section; and a controller which controls an image writing position at the image forming section based on a result of an edge position detection by the edge detecting sensor; wherein the edge detecting sensor comprises a plurality of light sources each having a different wavelength, and the controller comprises a light source controller which controls lighting of the plural light sources.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 16, 2007
    Publication date: December 27, 2007
    Inventors: Kazumichi Yamauchi, Satoshi Sakata, Kenji Yamamoto, Akira Okamoto, Kazutoshi Yoshimura