Patents by Inventor Kenichi Iesaki

Kenichi Iesaki 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: 10452007
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a roller; a heating member heating a sheet conveyed by the roller; a temperature sensor outputting a signal depending on a temperature of an end region of the heating member; and a controller. The controller selectively executes a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the roller conveys the first sheet, and then conveys the second sheet at a first interval. In the second mode, the roller conveys the first sheet, and then conveys the second sheet at a second interval longer than the first interval. When the controller has determined that a first time has elapsed after starting continuous printing in the first mode, and when the controller has determined that the temperature of the end region of the heating member is higher than a first temperature, the controller changes the mode from the first mode to the second mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 22, 2019
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 10317825
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a fixing device, a heater driver, and a controller. The fixing device includes: a heater; a heating member; and a temperature sensor which outputs a signal depending on a temperature of the heater or the heating member. When a target temperature of the heater or the heating member changes from a first target temperature to a second target temperature lower than the first target temperature and before a detection temperature becomes equal to or lower than a first switching temperature which is equal to or lower than the second target temperature, the controller sets control value of the heater by on/off control or proportional control. After the detection temperature becomes equal to or lower than the first switching temperature, the controller sets control value of the heater by proportional-integral control.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 11, 2019
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Publication number: 20180284667
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a roller; a heating member heating a sheet conveyed by the roller; a temperature sensor outputting a signal depending on a temperature of an end region of the heating member; and a controller. The controller selectively executes a first mode and a second mode. In the first mode, the roller conveys the first sheet, then conveys the second sheet at a first interval. In the second mode, the roller conveys the first sheet, then conveys the second sheet at a second interval which is longer than the first interval. When the controller has determined that a first time has elapsed after starting continuous printing in the first mode, and when the controller has determined that the temperature of the end region of the heating member is higher than a first temperature, the controller changes the mode from the first mode to the second mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 26, 2018
    Publication date: October 4, 2018
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Publication number: 20180150003
    Abstract: An image formation apparatus includes a fixing device, a heater driver, and a controller. The fixing device includes: a heater; a heating member; and a temperature sensor which outputs a signal depending on a temperature of the heater or the heating member. When a target temperature of the heater or the heating member changes from a first target temperature to a second target temperature lower than the first target temperature and before a detection temperature becomes equal to or lower than a first switching temperature which is equal to or lower than the second target temperature, the controller sets control value of the heater by on/off control or proportional control. After the detection temperature becomes equal to or lower than the first switching temperature, the controller sets control value of the heater by proportional-integral control.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 27, 2017
    Publication date: May 31, 2018
    Inventor: Kenichi IESAKI
  • Patent number: 9925807
    Abstract: There is provided a conveyance system including a plurality of rollers, a plurality of motors, a plurality of measuring devices, and a controller. The controller is configured to carry out the processes of: determining a control input on each of the plurality of motors, inputting a drive signal according to the control input, calculating an estimated reaction force value for each of the rollers, calculating an estimated tension value for each pair of the adjacent rollers, calculating a tension control input for each pair, and calculating a state control input on a particular one of the rollers. The controller determines the control input on each of the plurality of motors based on the tension control input for each pair and the state control input on the particular roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 9695001
    Abstract: A control system for pressing an abutting object against an abutted object includes: a mechanical device including a motor and causing a force from the motor to act on the abutting object to displace the abutting object toward the abutted object, a driving device driving the motor according to an inputted operation amount, a measuring device measuring a physical amount related to displacement of the abutting object, and a controller. The controller executes: a position control process to calculate the operation amount to be inputted to the driving device, a reaction force estimation process to estimate a reaction force acting on the abutting object, and a compliance control process to correct the operation amount which is calculated in the position control process and to be inputted to the driving device by a compliance control based on an estimate value of the reaction force estimated in the reaction force estimation process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2017
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Publication number: 20170087898
    Abstract: There is provided a conveyance system including a plurality of rollers, a plurality of motors, a plurality of measuring devices, and a controller. The controller is configured to carry out the processes of: determining a control input on each of the plurality of motors, inputting a drive signal according to the control input, calculating an estimated reaction force value for each of the rollers, calculating an estimated tension value for each pair of the adjacent rollers, calculating a tension control input for the each pair, and calculating a state control input on a particular one of the rollers. The controller determines the control input on each of the plurality of motors based on the tension control input for the each pair and the state control input on the particular roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2016
    Publication date: March 30, 2017
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Publication number: 20160289026
    Abstract: A control system for pressing an abutting object against an abutted object includes: a mechanical device including a motor and causing a force from the motor to act on the abutting object to displace the abutting object toward the abutted object, a driving device driving the motor according to an inputted operation amount, a measuring device measuring a physical amount related to displacement of the abutting object, and a controller. The controller executes: a position control process to calculate the operation amount to be inputted to the driving device, a reaction force estimation process to estimate a reaction force acting on the abutting object, and a compliance control process to correct the operation amount which is calculated in the position control process and to be inputted to the driving device by a compliance control based on an estimate value of the reaction force estimated in the reaction force estimation process.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2016
    Publication date: October 6, 2016
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 9457975
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes: a motor; a driving body rotated by the motor; a rotary encoder including a disk and a sensor; a detector detecting a rotation position and a rotation velocity of the disk based on a signal outputted from the sensor; and a controller. The disk is fixed to the driving body in a state of being eccentric to a rotational axis of the driving body, and the sensor reads a scale of the disk and outputs a pulse signal depending on rotation of the disk. The controller generates velocity data indicating a locus of the rotation velocity with respect to the rotation position; specifies a position-phase relation between the rotation position of the disk and a rotation phase of the driving body; and controls at least one of the rotation of the driving body and displacement of an object being displaced by action from the driving body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Date of Patent: October 4, 2016
    Assignee: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 9382084
    Abstract: There is provided a transporting system including two rollers to transport a sheet, two driving devices to drive the rollers, two measuring devices to measure state quantities Z1 and Z2 concerning the rollers, and a controller to control the transport. The controller includes first and second estimating units to estimate values R1 and R2 related to reaction forces act on the rollers, a first calculating unit to calculate control input U1 in accordance with a deviation between a target state quantity and (Z1+Z2)/2, a second calculating unit to calculate control input U2 in accordance with a deviation between a target value and (R1?R2)/2, a first drive controller to input a control signal in accordance with (U1+U2) to the first driving device, and a second drive controller to input a control signal in accordance with (U1?U2) to the second driving device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: July 5, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 9323198
    Abstract: A motor control apparatus including a motor control unit and a signal output unit that outputs a signal corresponding to rotation of the motor to displace an object to be driven to a target stop position, the motor control unit includes: a first control unit that estimates a current upper limit and determines a first control input; a second control unit that determines a second control input and controls the motor to stop the object to be driven at the target stop position; a first calculation unit calculates a necessary amount for stop, a second calculation unit that calculates a remaining displacement amount, a switching unit, enable the first control unit or the second control unit to control the motor with switching; based on the necessary amount for stop and the remaining displacement amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2016
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Publication number: 20150277394
    Abstract: A control apparatus includes: a motor; a driving body rotated by the motor; a rotary encoder including a disk and a sensor; a detector detecting a rotation position and a rotation velocity of the disk based on a signal outputted from the sensor; and a controller. The disk is fixed to the driving body in a state of being eccentric to a rotational axis of the driving body, and the sensor reads a scale of the disk and outputs a pulse signal depending on rotation of the disk. The controller generates velocity data indicating a locus of the rotation velocity with respect to the rotation position; specifies a position-phase relation between the rotation position of the disk and a rotation phase of the driving body; and controls at least one of the rotation of the driving body and displacement of an object being displaced by action from the driving body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 18, 2015
    Publication date: October 1, 2015
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi IESAKI
  • Patent number: 9039004
    Abstract: There is provided a transport system including: a transport mechanism including first and second rollers; first and second driving devices; first and second measuring devices configured to measure a state quantities Z1 and Z2; and a controller configured to control the first and second driving devices. The controller is configured to perform: estimating reaction forces R1 and R2; calculating control inputs U1 and U2; inputting, to the first driving device, a control signal in accordance with a sum of the control input U1 and the control input U2; inputting, to the second driving device, a control signal in accordance with a difference between the control input U1 and the control input U2; estimating non-tensional components RE1 or RE2; and correcting the control input U2 to prevent a control error caused by the non-tensional components RE1 and RE2 included in an estimated tension of the sheet (R1?R2)/2.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Publication number: 20150061207
    Abstract: There is provided a transport system including: a transport mechanism including first and second rollers; first and second driving devices; first and second measuring devices configured to measure a state quantities Z1 and Z2; and a controller configured to control the first and second driving devices. The controller is configured to perform: estimating reaction forces R1 and R2; calculating control inputs U1 and U2; inputting, to the first driving device, a control signal in accordance with a sum of the control input U1 and the control input U2; inputting, to the second driving device, a control signal in accordance with a difference between the control input U1 and the control input U2; estimating non-tensional components RE1 or RE2; and correcting the control input U2 to prevent a control error caused by the non-tensional components RE1 and RE2 included in an estimated tension of the sheet (R1?R2)/2.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 19, 2014
    Publication date: March 5, 2015
    Applicant: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 8936343
    Abstract: There is provided a control device configured to control a drive system including a motor and a driven object. The control device includes a controller configured to compute an operation amount, to measure a control amount of the controlled object, to input a measurement signal of the control amount to an inverse model of a model indicating input-output characteristics of the controlled object, and to generate a differential signal between an output of the inverse model and the operation amount; and a filter configured to filter the generated differential signal, and which has frequency characteristics of attenuating a vibrational component which is developed due to mechanical characteristics of the controlled object, from the differential signal. The controller is configured to make a judgment of whether or not a defect has occurred in the controlled object, based on an output of the filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 20, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tomoaki Hazeyama, Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 8926044
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a recording head which jets ink droplets, a head transporting mechanism which transports the recording head, and a control unit which controls the head transporting mechanism to reciprocate the recording head along a transporting path and controls the recording head to form an image on a sheet by jetting the ink droplets when the recording head passes over an image formation area within the transporting path. When the control unit controls the transporting mechanism to transport the recording head toward a turn-around point in the transporting path, the control unit decelerates the recording head in accordance with a first acceleration profile and a second acceleration profile which has a peak of deceleration higher than that of the first acceleration profile.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2015
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 8876241
    Abstract: There is provided a transporting system including two rollers to transport a sheet, two driving devices to drive the rollers, two measuring devices, and a controller to control the transport. The controller includes two estimating units to estimate values R1 and R2 related to reaction forces act on the rollers, a first calculating unit to calculate a control input U1, a second calculating unit to calculate a control input U2 in accordance with a deviation between a target value and (R1?R2)/2, first and second drive controllers to input a control signal in accordance with U1 and U2 to the first and second driving devices, and a setting unit. In an initial stage of a period in which the sheet is transported by the two rollers, the setting unit sets the target value to a value greater than that of the target value after the initial stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 8876253
    Abstract: An image recording apparatus includes a carriage which moves in a main scanning direction, a recording head which is installed on the carriage, and which records an image on a sheet, a drive section which has a motor, and which applies a driving force to the carriage, a guide member which guides the carriage in the main scanning direction, a first contact portion which is provided to the carriage and which contacts with the guide member, a second contact portion which is provided to sandwich a center of gravity of the carriage between the first contact portion and the second contact portion and which contacts with the guide member, and a friction-force adjusting section which adjusts a friction force acting between the guide member and the first contact portion in accordance with an acceleration of the carriage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 20, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Patent number: 8866432
    Abstract: A motor control device comprises: a motor control unit that controls a motor; and a signal output unit that outputs a signal according to rotation of the motor, wherein the motor control unit controls the motor based on an output signal of the signal output unit so that a driven object driven by the motor is displaced to a target stop position. The motor control unit is configured to function as: a first control unit that estimates a upper current limit and controls the motor according to the upper current limit; a second control unit that controls motor according to an operated amount of at least one of the motor or the driven object; a switching unit that switches between the first control unit and the second control unit; a first calculating unit that calculates an amount necessary for stop; and a second calculating unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki
  • Publication number: 20140291926
    Abstract: There is provided a transporting system including two rollers to transport a sheet, two driving devices to drive the rollers, two measuring devices to measure state quantities Z1 and Z2 concerning the rollers, and a controller to control the transport. The controller includes first and second estimating units to estimate values R1 and R2 related to reaction forces act on the rollers, a first calculating unit to calculate control input U1 in accordance with a deviation between a target state quantity and (Z1+Z2)/2, a second calculating unit to calculate control input U2 in accordance with a deviation between a target value and (R1?R2)/2, a first drive controller to input a control signal in accordance with (U1+U2) to the first driving device, and a second drive controller to input a control signal in accordance with (U1?U2) to the second driving device.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 1, 2013
    Publication date: October 2, 2014
    Applicant: BROTHER KOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Iesaki