Patents by Inventor Keita Sone

Keita Sone 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: 8942584
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a processor performs: a solid density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of solid toner images of solid tone patterns, a condition to form solid images with respective target image densities; a misregistration reduction of adjusting, in accordance with detection timing of position detection toner images of misregistration detection patterns, a condition to reduce misregistration of toner images; and a halftone density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of area coverage modulation toner images, a condition to form halftone images with respective target image densities.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 27, 2015
    Assignee: Ricoh Company, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kayoko Tanaka, Kohta Fujimori, Keita Sone
  • Publication number: 20140294412
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a toner image forming unit, a detector, and a controller to adjust an image forming condition based on a detection result by the detector. During a non-printing period, multiple toner patterns are formed in an end and center portions of the image bearer in a direction perpendicular to a direction in which the image bearer moves, and a smaller number of toner patterns selected from the multiple toner patterns are formed in a non-image area, in the end portion of the image bearer, during a printing period. The controller determines a target density X of the smaller number of toner patterns by X=H (a mean detected density of the multiple toner patterns formed in the end portion)×J (a predetermined reference value)/I(a mean detected density of the multiple toner patterns formed in the end portion and in the center portion).
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Inventors: Kayoko TANAKA, Keita SONE
  • Publication number: 20140270818
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearer, a developing device to develop with developer a latent image formed on the image bearer, a developer container to contain developer, a temporary reservoir to temporarily store developer supplied from the developer container and having an outlet to discharge the temporarily stored developer to the developing device, a first conveyance device to transport developer from the developer container to the temporary reservoir, a second conveyance device to transport developer from the temporary reservoir to the developing device, a first developer amount detector to detect an amount of developer in the temporary reservoir, and a controller to control driving of the first conveyance device based on a detection result generated by the first developer amount detector and data relating to driving of the second conveyance device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 11, 2014
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Inventors: Kayoko TANAKA, Keita Sone, Kenji Kikuchi
  • Publication number: 20130236200
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a controller configured to control a toner-image forming device to form a toner patch; and a detector configured to detect the toner patch on the image carrier. During a non-printing period, the controller causes a toner-image forming device to form toner patches, causes the detector to detect densities of the toner patches, and adjusts an image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. During a printing period, the controller causes the toner-image forming device to form an output image in an image area and form fewer toner patches in a non-image area, causes the detector to detect densities of the fewer toner patches, and adjusts the image-forming condition of the toner-image forming device based on detected densities. The fewer toner patches are selected from and fewer than the plurality of toner patches formed during the non-printing period.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 8, 2013
    Publication date: September 12, 2013
    Inventors: Kayoko TANAKA, Kohta Fujimori, Keita Sone
  • Publication number: 20130156449
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a image forming unit; an image bearing member having a surface to bear a toner image and a test pattern; the surface having a first time-surface positioned identical to the test pattern, an integer multiple of revolutions upstream or downstream from the test pattern in a surface movement direction, and a second time-surface positioned different from the test pattern, shorter than one revolution upstream or downstream from the test pattern; a reflection light detector to detect the amount of light reflected from the test pattern and the first and second time-surfaces of the image bearing member; and a controller to control the image forming unit based on the detection result and determine whether to execute a first-surface control to detect at least the first time-surface or a second-surface control to detect only the second time-surface based on use condition of the image forming apparatus.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 20, 2013
    Inventors: Kohta FUJIMORI, Kayoko Tanaka, Keita Sone
  • Publication number: 20120294637
    Abstract: In an image forming apparatus, a processor performs: a solid density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of solid toner images of solid tone patterns, a condition to form solid images with respective target image densities; a misregistration reduction of adjusting, in accordance with detection timing of position detection toner images of misregistration detection patterns, a condition to reduce misregistration of toner images; and a halftone density stabilization of adjusting, in accordance with detected toner adhesion amounts of area coverage modulation toner images, a condition to form halftone images with respective target image densities.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 23, 2012
    Publication date: November 22, 2012
    Inventors: Kayoko TANAKA, Kohta Fujimori, Keita Sone