Patents by Inventor Keiko Toyoda

Keiko Toyoda 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: 8505905
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprising a supply roller for feeding sheets mounted on a tray, a drive shaft for supporting the supply roller and rotationally driving the same, first and second supporting arms swingably supported on the drive shaft, a feed roller rotatably supported on the first and second supporting arms, a feed roller transmission mechanism for rotating the feed roller in conjunction with the rotation of the supply roller, first and second transmission mechanisms for swinging the first and second supporting arms, and first and second resilient retaining members which are capable of retaining the first and second supporting arms, the first and second transmission mechanisms shifting the timings that the respective first and second supporting arms are swung against the corresponding resilient retaining members. An automatic sheet transfer device comprising this sheet feeding device. An electrophotographic image forming device comprising this automatic sheet transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2013
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Motoki Takata, Keiko Toyoda, Masahiro Nonoyama
  • Publication number: 20120008997
    Abstract: A sheet feeding device comprising a supply roller for feeding sheets mounted on a tray, a drive shaft for supporting the supply roller and rotationally driving the same, first and second supporting arms swingably supported on the drive shaft, a feed roller rotatably supported on the first and second supporting arms, a feed roller transmission mechanism for rotating the feed roller in conjunction with the rotation of the supply roller, first and second transmission mechanisms for swinging the first and second supporting arms, and first and second resilient retaining members which are capable of retaining the first and second supporting arms, the first and second transmission mechanisms shifting the timings that the respective first and second supporting arms are swung against the corresponding resilient retaining members. An automatic sheet transfer device comprising this sheet feeding device. An electrophotographic image forming device comprising this automatic sheet transfer device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 6, 2011
    Publication date: January 12, 2012
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Motoki TAKATA, Keiko TOYODA, Masahiro NONOYAMA
  • Patent number: 7561311
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of controlling movement of a transparent member suitably depending on various situations by including a transparent member, a feeding unit that feeds an original document to the transparent member, a reading unit that reads an image of the document fed on the transparent member via the transparent member, a moving unit that reciprocates the transparent member in a prescribed direction, and a controller that moves the transparent member forward in one direction from a home position while one document passes through a reading position, and stops the transparent member and then moves the transparent member backward to the home position when an interruption event of reading the document occurs.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 14, 2009
    Assignee: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keiko Toyoda, Hiroshi Nishikawa
  • Publication number: 20060077484
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus capable of controlling movement of a transparent member suitably depending on various situations by including a transparent member, a feeding unit that feeds an original document to the transparent member, a reading unit that reads an image of the document fed on the transparent member via the transparent member, a moving unit that reciprocates the transparent member in a prescribed direction, and a controller that moves the transparent member forward in one direction from a home position while one document passes through a reading position, and stops the transparent member and then moves the transparent member backward to the home position when an interruption event of reading the document occurs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 27, 2004
    Publication date: April 13, 2006
    Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Keiko Toyoda, Hiroshi Nishikawa
  • Patent number: 6765697
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide an image reader including a transparent substrate, which can be used effectively for an extended lifetime. The image reader comprises a transparent substrate and a stationary image pickup opposed to the transparent substrate for reading an image of an original document while the document is being transported between the transparent substrate and the stationary image pickup. The transparent substrate can be turned around and/or upside down relative to the image pickup in order to use the transparent substrate for an extended its service time. Also, the transparent substrate includes at least one first indicator showing an arrangement order how the transparent substrate has been turned around relative to the image pickup.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 20, 2004
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Keiko Toyoda, Noritoshi Maruchi
  • Publication number: 20040022563
    Abstract: A binding member removing apparatus 300 comprises a tray 30 for mounting thereon a bundle D of document sheets bound with a staple S, a removing unit 410 for removing the staple S from the bundle D of document sheets mounted on the tray 30, and a moving unit for moving the staple S removed by the removing unit 410. The removing unit 410 is provided with an inserting member 411 to be passed between the bundle of document sheets and the binding member binding the bundle of document sheets and the inserting member 411 is provided with a plurality of elongated parts 412 formed in the shape of a comb having teeth extended in the direction of insertion thereof. The inserting member optionally comprises a first inserting member 811 to be passed between the obverse face of the bundle D of document sheets and the staple S and a second inserting member 812 to be passed between the reverse face of the bundle D of document sheets and the staple S as a binding member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2003
    Publication date: February 5, 2004
    Applicant: MINOLTA CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Noritoshi Maruchi, Keiko Toyoda, Tohru Murakami, Akiyoshi Johdai, Koji Higashikawa, Kunihiko Kanou
  • Publication number: 20010030776
    Abstract: The present invention is to provide an image reader including a transparent substrate, which can be used effectively for an extended lifetime. The image reader comprises a transparent substrate and a stationary image pickup opposed to the transparent substrate for reading an image of an original document while the document is being transported between the transparent substrate and the stationary image pickup. The transparent substrate can be turned around and/or upside down relative to the image pickup in order to use the transparent substrate for an extended its service time. Also, the transparent substrate includes at least one first indicator showing an arrangement order how the transparent substrate has been turned around relative to the image pickup.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 14, 2001
    Publication date: October 18, 2001
    Inventors: Keiko Toyoda, Noritoshi Maruchi
  • Patent number: 6151478
    Abstract: A document feeder which has a feed roller for feeding a document picked up from a tray toward a reading position, a first pair of rollers which is located immediately before the reading position, a second pair of rollers which is located immediately after the reading position, and a document sensor. After the leading edge of the document transported by the feed roller comes to the first pair of rollers, the feed roller keeps rotating for a specified time, whereby, registration of the document is carried out. In response to a signal which is generated when the document sensor detects the trailing edge of the document, feeding of a next document is started.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2000
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Katsuta, deceased, Akiyoshi Johdai, Keiko Toyoda, Yoshiki Ohmichi
  • Patent number: 5995801
    Abstract: A document feeder which has a feed roller and an intermediate transport roller for transporting a document picked up from a tray toward a reading position, a first pair of read rollers and a second pair of read rollers for transporting the document on the reading position at a constant speed. The feed roller and the intermediate transport roller transport a document at a higher speed than the pairs of read rollers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 1997
    Date of Patent: November 30, 1999
    Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunihiko Katsuta, deceased, Keiko Toyoda