Patents by Inventor Kenichi Manabe

Kenichi Manabe 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: 10444674
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet; an openable member rotatably supported by the main assembly; a first feeding guide provided on the openable member; a second feeding guide provided in the main assembly, wherein when the openable member is closed, a sheet feeding path for feeding the sheet is formed by the first and second feeding guides; a hole provided in the first feeding guide; and an illumination device, provided on the openable member, for illuminating at least a part of the second feeding guide through the hole when the openable member is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Date of Patent: October 15, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Kakitani, Kenichi Manabe
  • Patent number: 10248073
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an image forming apparatus capable of preventing members from colliding from each other upon an openable member being closed. An openable member opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body is locked in a closed state by a lock portion located at a lock position, and permitted to open upon the lock portion being moved to a release position. The apparatus body is provided with a movable portion that is moved to a first position if the openable member is opened and to a second position if the openable member is closed. The movable portion includes a block portion that is configured to block a movement of the lock portion from the release position to the lock position if the movable portion is located at the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 2, 2019
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Manabe
  • Publication number: 20180188673
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet; an openable member rotatably supported by the main assembly; a first feeding guide provided on the openable member; a second feeding guide provided in the main assembly, wherein when the openable member is closed, a sheet feeding path for feeding the sheet is formed by the first and second feeding guides; a hole provided in the first feeding guide; and an illumination device, provided on the openable member, for illuminating at least a part of the second feeding guide through the hole when the openable member is open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 5, 2018
    Publication date: July 5, 2018
    Inventors: Masaki Kakitani, Kenichi Manabe
  • Patent number: 9964916
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet, a sheet feeding device configured to feed the sheet, an openable member configured to be opened for exposing at least a part of a sheet feeding path of the sheet feeding device to an outside of the image forming apparatus, an operating portion operated for opening the openable member, and an illumination device configured to illuminate the operating portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 8, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Masaki Kakitani
  • Patent number: 9939762
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet; an openable member rotatably supported by the main assembly; a first feeding guide provided on the openable member; a second feeding guide provided in the main assembly, wherein when the openable member is closed, a sheet feeding path for feeding the sheet is formed by the first and second feeding guides; a hole provided in the first feeding guide; and an illumination device, provided on the openable member, for illuminating at least a part of the second feeding guide through the hole when the openable member is open.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 10, 2018
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaki Kakitani, Kenichi Manabe
  • Publication number: 20180017932
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides an image forming apparatus capable of preventing members from colliding from each other upon an openable member being closed. An openable member opened and closed with respect to the apparatus body is locked in a closed state by a lock portion located at a lock position, and permitted to open upon the lock portion being moved to a release position. The apparatus body is provided with a movable portion that is moved to a first position if the openable member is opened and to a second position if the openable member is closed. The movable portion includes a block portion that is configured to block a movement of the lock portion from the release position to the lock position if the movable portion is located at the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 5, 2017
    Publication date: January 18, 2018
    Inventor: Kenichi Manabe
  • Publication number: 20170227917
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion configured to form an image on a sheet, a sheet feeding device configured to feed the sheet, an openable member configured to be opened for exposing at least a part of a sheet feeding path of the sheet feeding device to an outside of the image forming apparatus, an operating portion operated for opening the openable member, and an illumination device configured to illuminate the operating portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 2, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Masaki Kakitani
  • Publication number: 20170227898
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a main assembly; an image forming portion for forming an image on a sheet; an openable member rotatably supported by the main assembly; a first feeding guide provided on the openable member; a second feeding guide provided in the main assembly, wherein when the openable member is closed, a sheet feeding path for feeding the sheet is formed by the first and second feeding guides; a hole provided in the first feeding guide; and an illumination device, provided on the openable member, for illuminating at least a part of the second feeding guide through the hole when the openable member is open.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Publication date: August 10, 2017
    Inventors: Masaki Kakitani, Kenichi Manabe
  • Patent number: 8953974
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprising: an upstream side unit which discharges a conveyed developer from a discharge port; a downstream side unit which receives the developer discharged from the discharge port from a receiving port located at a position opposite to the discharge port; and a sealing member which includes a multiple layer with an elastic member and a sheet material alternately stacked and is nipped between the upstream side unit and the downstream side unit to seal a periphery of the discharge port and the receiving port, wherein at least one of the upstream side unit and the downstream side unit is detachably attachable to an apparatus body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 10, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 10, 2015
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Manabe
  • Patent number: 7605954
    Abstract: An original feeding apparatus is located above an image forming portion for recording an image on a recording medium and is constructed to convey an original to an image reading portion slidable in a shift direction relative to the image forming portion. The original feeding apparatus is slidable integrally with the image reading portion relative to the image forming portion and has its barycenter located on the rear end side with respect to the center in the shift direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 20, 2009
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7447478
    Abstract: An image forming member has a first sheet conveying member arranged at upstream side of a sheet conveying path of a sheet material, a second sheet conveying member arranged at downstream side of said sheet conveying path, a guide member which is provided between the first and the second sheet conveying members and guides the sheet material and a movable portion which is provided in the guide member and executes front-and-far-side adjustment of the sheet material by moving a portion against which the tip of sheet material is abutted in parallel to a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveying direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Takematsu, Jiro Shirakata, Hisashi Otaka, Kohei Koshida, Kenichi Manabe, Hideaki Miyazawa, Hideaki Kosasa, Yuji Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7406291
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided with a document glass stand on which a document is placed, and a document feeding portion having a platen roller for feeding out the document fed into the reading position of the document glass stand from the reading position and a pressure plate having elasticity and capable of pressing the document placed on the document glass stand against the document glass stand with the platen roller, and openable and closable relative to the document glass stand. A document reading sensor reads the document placed on the document glass stand while being moved below the document glass stand, and reads the document fed into the reading position while being stopped at the reading position. Design is made such that after the document feeding portion is closed and the document has been pressed against the document glass stand by the pressure plate, the platen roller presses the document against the document glass stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Date of Patent: July 29, 2008
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7289744
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an electrode member to prevent the generation of an image defect in the image forming apparatus, in which the electrode member is provided in the downstream side of a transfer device, the transfer device and a fixing device are arranged while brought close to each other, and the sheet is sandwiched by the fixing device while sandwiched and conveyed by an image bearing device and the transfer device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 30, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Jiro Shirakata, Koji Takematsu, Hisashi Otaka, Kohei Koshida, Kenichi Manabe, Hideaki Miyazawa, Hideaki Kosasa, Yuji Yamanaka
  • Patent number: 7280784
    Abstract: There are provided an image bearing member on which an electrostatic image is formed, a development unit that is detachably attachable relative to a main body of the apparatus and that develops the electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member, using developer, a positioning unit that positions the development unit relative to the image bearing member, a transfer unit that transfers a developer image formed on the image bearing member onto a recording medium at a transfer position, and a conveyance guide member that guides the recording medium which is being conveyed toward the transfer position. The conveyance guide member is made of material which is greater in rigidity than a frame member of the development unit, and is disposed on the frame member of the development unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kenichi Manabe
  • Publication number: 20070121173
    Abstract: An original feeding apparatus is located above an image forming portion for recording an image on a recording medium and is constructed to convey an original to an image reading portion slidable in a shift direction relative to the image forming portion. The original feeding apparatus is slidable integrally with the image reading portion relative to the image forming portion and has its barycenter located on the rear end side with respect to the center in the shift direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 26, 2007
    Publication date: May 31, 2007
    Applicant: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7199910
    Abstract: An original feeding apparatus is located above an image forming portion for recording an image on a recording medium and is constructed to convey an original to an image reading portion slidable in a slide direction relative to the image forming portion. The original feeding apparatus is slidable integrally with the image reading portion relative to the image forming portion and has its center of gravity located on the rear end side with respect to the center in the slide direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 3, 2007
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Kazuyuki Iwamoto
  • Publication number: 20060263128
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a image forming member comprising a first sheet conveying member arranged at upstream side of a sheet conveying path of a sheet material, a second sheet conveying member arranged at downstream side of said sheet conveying path, a guide member which is provided between said first and said second sheet conveying members and guides said sheet material and a movable portion which is provided in said guide member and executes front-and-far-side adjustment of said sheet material by moving a portion against which the tip of said sheet material is abutted in parallel to a sheet width direction perpendicular to a conveying direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2006
    Publication date: November 23, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Takematsu, Jiro Shirakata, Hisashi Otaka, Kohei Koshida, Kenichi Manabe, Hideaki Miyazawa, Hideaki Kosasa, Yuji Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20060120744
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member which bears a toner image; transfer means which forms a transfer nip portion while being in contact with the image bearing member, the transfer means which sandwiches and conveys a recording material with the image bearing member in the transfer nip portion, which transfers the toner image to the recording material; fixing means in which the recording material is sandwiched in a fixing nip portion where a first fixing member and a second fixing member are in contact with each other, the fixing means fixes the toner image to the recording material; and an electrode member which is provided between the transfer means and the fixing means, wherein the recording material is sandwiched and conveyed by the fixing means while sandwiched and conveyed by the transfer means, a length d (mm) of a shortest straight line connecting a center of the transfer nip portion and a center of the fixing nip portion in a direction in which the recording material is conveye
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 7, 2005
    Publication date: June 8, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Jiro Shirakata, Koji Takematsu, Hisashi Otaka, Kohei Koshida, Kenichi Manabe, Hideaki Miyazawa, Hideaki Kosasa, Yuji Yamanaka
  • Publication number: 20060051130
    Abstract: There are provided an image bearing member on which an electrostatic image is formed, a development unit that is detachably attachable relative to a main body of the apparatus and that develops the electrostatic image formed on the image bearing member, using developer, a positioning unit that positions the development unit relative to the image bearing member, a transfer unit that transfers a developer image formed on the image bearing member onto a recording medium at a transfer position, and a conveyance guide member that guides the recording medium which is being conveyed toward the transfer position. The conveyance guide member is made of material which is greater in rigidity than a frame member of the development unit, and is disposed on the frame member of the development unit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 15, 2005
    Publication date: March 9, 2006
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Kenichi Manabe
  • Publication number: 20040145785
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus is provided with a document glass stand on which a document is placed, and a document feeding portion having a platen roller for feeding out the document fed into the reading position of the document glass stand from the reading position and a pressure plate having elasticity and capable of pressing the document placed on the document glass stand against the document glass stand with the platen roller, and openable and closable relative to the document glass stand. A document reading sensor reads the document placed on the document glass stand while being moved below the document glass stand, and reads the document fed into the reading position while being stopped at the reading position. Design is made such that after the document feeding portion is closed and the document has been pressed against the document glass stand by the pressure plate, the platen roller presses the document against the document glass stand.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 9, 2004
    Publication date: July 29, 2004
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Manabe, Kazuyuki Iwamoto