Patents by Inventor Kikuo Mizutani

Kikuo Mizutani 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).

  • Publication number: 20150138573
    Abstract: A color erasing apparatus includes a conveyance member to convey a sheet on which an image is formed of a color erasable coloring material, a color erasing part to erase a color of the coloring material of the image formed on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance member, a control part that counts the processed number of sheets images of which are color-erased by the color erasing part and determines whether the processed number of sheets exceeds a previously set threshold, and a notification interface to output a signal for notifying that cleaning of the color erasing part is required if the processed number of sheets exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 10, 2014
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Hiroyuki Taki, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi
  • Patent number: 8947479
    Abstract: A device for erasing an image on a sheet includes a reading unit that reads an image formed on a sheet. An erasing unit erases the image formed on the sheet by heating the sheet after the sheet has passed through the reading unit. A conveyance path conveys the sheet from the erasing unit back to the reading unit. The conveyance path includes a curved portion between the erasing unit and the reading unit. A cooling unit cools the sheet which passes through the conveyance path. The cooling unit includes at least one fan that supplies cooling air generally along a sheet conveying direction. A rate of the cooling air supplied to an outer peripheral portion of the curved portion of the conveyance path is larger than a rate of the cooling air supplied to an inner peripheral portion of the curved portion of the conveyance path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kikuo Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8943636
    Abstract: An erasing device of one embodiment includes a conveyance unit that conveys a sheet; a pair of rotating brushes is provided corresponding to both side portions in a width direction perpendicular to a sheet conveyance direction of the sheet conveyed by the conveyance unit, the rotating brushes being provided to oppose to each other, nipping the conveyed sheet, the rotating brushes rotating in the same direction as the sheet conveyance direction such that a circumferential speed of the brush tip has a higher speed than a conveyance speed of the sheet, the rotating brushes rolling and correcting a corner fold portion which occurs on the sheet conveyed by the brush tip portion while rotating; and an erasing unit is provided downstream in the sheet conveyance direction than the rotating brush, the erasing unit erasing an image which is formed on the sheet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 3, 2015
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yoichi Yamaguchi, Ken Iguchi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Toshiaki Oshiro, Hiroyuki Hazu, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito, Jun Ishii
  • Patent number: 8922609
    Abstract: According to an embodiment, a method for color erasing process includes the steps of: supplying a power to a heat source configured to heat a sheet having an image formed thereon using a color erasable material so as to cause heat generation as warming-up control; stopping the power supply to the heat source for a predetermined period of time in the warming-up control if the temperature of the heat source is increased starting from a temperature lower than a predetermined reference value that is lower than a color erasing temperature of the color erasable material and exceeds the predetermined reference value; performing maintenance control that is power supply control to maintain the temperature of the heat source at the target temperature; and performing, after the passage of the predetermined period of time, a color erasing process by the heat source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 21, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Toshiaki Oshiro, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8922608
    Abstract: A decolorizing device includes a paper feed unit that feeds a sheet, on which an image has been formed using a color-erasable colorant, into a conveying path. A decolorization unit conveys the sheet fed by the paper feed unit into the conveying path while heating the sheet to a prescribed heat source setting temperature to decolorize the image on the sheet. A scanner reads and electronically processes the image and outputs an image density before and after decolorizing. A reject determination part determines the sheet, on which the image remains, as a reject sheet based on the image density after decolorizing. For the sheet determined as a reject sheet by the reject determination unit, when it is determined that the image density after decolorizing is lower than the image density before decolorizing, a decolorization condition setting part controls the heat source setting temperature in the decolorization unit to be higher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: December 30, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Kikuo Mizutani
  • Patent number: 8913287
    Abstract: A color erasing apparatus includes a conveyance member to convey a sheet on which an image is formed of a color erasable coloring material, a color erasing part to erase a color of the coloring material of the image formed on the sheet conveyed by the conveyance member, a control part that counts the processed number of sheets images of which are color-erased by the color erasing part and determines whether the processed number of sheets exceeds a previously set threshold, and a notification interface to output a signal for notifying that, cleaning of the color erasing part is required if the processed number of sheets exceeds the threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 16, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Hiroyuki Taki, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi
  • Patent number: 8899855
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a erasing apparatus includes: a paper feeding section configured to feed a recording medium on which a erasable image is recorded to a conveying path; a conveying section configured to convey the recording medium along the conveying path; a erasing section configured to erase a color of the image on the recording medium; a sensor configured to detect the recording medium conveyed through the erasing section by the conveying section; and a control section configured to perform, if the sensor detects occurrence of a jam of the recording medium, control to convey the recording medium present in the conveying path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taki, Ken Iguchi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Taguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Toshiaki Oshiro, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoici Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito, Jun Ishii
  • Patent number: 8890912
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus includes a color erasing section which erases a color of an image formed with an erasable color material on a sheet conveyed at first speed, a reading section which reads an image on the surface of the sheet conveyed at second speed higher than the first speed, a first conveying section, and a second conveying section. The first conveying section includes a first conveying roller arranged downstream in a sheet conveying direction of the color erasing section and conveys the sheet at the first speed. The second conveying section includes a second conveying roller arranged upstream in the sheet conveying direction of the reading section and in a position where the second conveying roller nips the conveyed sheet simultaneously with the first conveying roller. The second conveying section conveys the sheet to the reading section at the second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihasi, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Isao Yahata, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Ken Iguchi, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Toshiaki Oshiro, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8890913
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a color erasing apparatus includes a color erasing section which erases a color of an image formed with an erasable color material on a sheet conveyed at first speed, a reading section which reads an image on the surface of the sheet conveyed at second speed higher than the first speed, a first conveying section, and a second conveying section. The first conveying section includes a first conveying roller arranged downstream in a sheet conveying direction of the color erasing section and conveys the sheet at the first speed. The second conveying section includes a second conveying roller arranged upstream in the sheet conveying direction of the reading section and in a position where the second conveying roller nips the conveyed sheet simultaneously with the first conveying roller. The second conveying section conveys the sheet to the reading section at the second speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Isao Yahata, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Ken Iguchi, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Toshiaki Oshiro, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito
  • Patent number: 8878884
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, an erasing apparatus for a sheet includes a conveying path configured to convey a sheet on which an image is formed with a coloring agent that is erased by heating, a first erasing section including, on an upstream side of the conveying path, a first heating member provided on one surface side of the sheet and a first rotating roller provided to be opposed to the first heating member, and a second erasing section including, on a downstream side of the first erasing section, a second heating member provided on the other surface side of the sheet and a second rotating roller provided to be opposed to the second heating member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 30, 2012
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Hiroyuki Taki, Isao Yahata, Ken Iguchi, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Toshiaki Oshiro, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8857807
    Abstract: A sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet regulating member that regulates the movement of a sheet in a space between a punch unit and a rear guide. The sheet regulating member may be set in an upper guide included in an upper part of the rear guide or may be set at a rear end in a sheet conveying direction of the punch unit. The sheet regulating member may be set between the punch unit and the rear guide and move following the movement of the punch unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 21, 2012
    Date of Patent: October 14, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Kikuo Mizutani, Naofumi Soga
  • Publication number: 20140300678
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first conveying path to form a conveying path from the sheet supply portion toward the ejector, a reader arranged on the first conveying path to read an image on a surface of the sheet, an erasure to erase the image on the sheet formed with image erasable material, a switching portion arranged on the first conveying path at a downstream side of the reader in a sheet conveying direction to switch the sheet conveying direction to a direction of the ejector or a direction of the erasure, and a second conveying path having the erasure which, at a position where the switching portion is arranged, branches from the first conveying path at the downstream side of the reader and merges with the first conveying path at a meeting point between the sheet supply portion and the reader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Ken IGUCHI, Hidetoshi YOKOCHI, Isao YAHATA, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI, Yoshiaki SUGIZAKI, Kikuo MIZUTANI, Hiroyuki TAKI, Hiroyuki TSUCHIHASHI, Chiaki IIZUKA
  • Publication number: 20140300679
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first conveying path to form a conveying path from the sheet supply portion toward the ejector, a reader arranged on the first conveying path to read an image on a surface of the sheet, an erasure to erase the image on the sheet formed with image erasable material, a switching portion arranged on the first conveying path at a downstream side of the reader in a sheet conveying direction to switch the sheet conveying direction to a direction of the ejector or a direction of the erasure, and a second conveying path having the erasure which, at a position where the switching portion is arranged, branches from the first conveying path at the downstream side of the reader and merges with the first conveying path at a meeting point between the sheet supply portion and the reader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: October 9, 2014
    Applicants: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA, TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: KEN IGUCHI, Hidetoshi YOKOCHI, Isao YAHATA, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI, Yoshiaki SUGIZAKI, Kikuo MIZUTANI, Hiroyuki TAKI, Hiroyuki TSUCHIHASHI, Chiaki IIZUKA
  • Patent number: 8844927
    Abstract: A sheet loading apparatus includes a loading member which loads the sheet discharged by the discharge member, a tip support member which abuts against the leading edge of the sheet discharged by the discharge member in the sheet discharge direction, a rotation member which abuts against an upper surface of the sheet discharged to the loading member, and is rotated to transport the sheet to the stopper side, and a control section which controls a transport amount of the sheet through the rotation member based on a loading amount of the sheet loaded on the loading member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Hazu, Ken Iguchi, Yuichi Saito, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Toshiaki Oshiro, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Jun Ishii
  • Publication number: 20140285605
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first conveying path to form a conveying path from the sheet supply portion toward the ejector, a reader arranged on the first conveying path to read an image on a surface of the sheet, an erasure to erase the image on the sheet formed with image erasable material, a switching portion arranged on the first conveying path at a downstream side of the reader in a sheet conveying direction to switch the sheet conveying direction to a direction of the ejector or a direction of the erasure, and a second conveying path having the erasure which, at a position where the switching portion is arranged, branches from the first conveying path at the downstream side of the reader and merges with the first conveying path at a meeting point between the sheet supply portion and the reader.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 30, 2014
    Publication date: September 25, 2014
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Iizuka
  • Publication number: 20140240433
    Abstract: A device for erasing an image on a sheet includes a reading unit that reads an image formed on a sheet. An erasing unit erases the image formed on the sheet by heating the sheet after the sheet has passed through the reading unit. A conveyance path conveys the sheet from the erasing unit back to the reading unit. The conveyance path includes a curved portion between the erasing unit and the reading unit. A cooling unit cools the sheet which passes through the conveyance path. The cooling unit includes at least one fan that supplies cooling air generally along a sheet conveying direction. A rate of the cooling air supplied to an outer peripheral portion of the curved portion of the conveyance path is larger than a rate of the cooling air supplied to an inner peripheral portion of the curved portion of the conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 20, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicants: Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha, Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventor: KIKUO MIZUTANI
  • Publication number: 20140203492
    Abstract: A sheet discharging device includes a first conveying path that guides a sheet to be conveyed. A second conveying path branches from the first conveying path. A sorting section sorts a sheet being conveyed on the first conveying path into either a downstream side of the branch point or the second conveying path. A first discharge tray is placed at a position downstream of the first conveying path and receives a sheet discharged from the first conveying path at a first sheet loading surface. A second discharge tray is placed at a position downstream of the second conveying path and below the first discharge tray, and receives a sheet discharged from the second conveying path at a second sheet loading surface whose distance to the first sheet loading surface increases toward a downstream side thereof in a sheet discharging direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 24, 2014
    Publication date: July 24, 2014
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Isao YAHATA, Kikuo MIZUTANI, Takahiro KAWAGUCHI, Yoshiaki SUGIZAKI, Ken IGUCHI, Hiroyuki TAKI, Hiroyuki TSUCHIHASHI, Chiaki IIZUKA, Hidetoshi YOKOCHI, Toshiaki OSHIRO, Hiroyuki HAZU, Yoichi YAMAGUCHI, Hiroyuki SUGIYAMA, Yuichi SAITO
  • Patent number: 8777220
    Abstract: In general, in a sheet feeding device of embodiments, a shaft connects through an one-way clutch structure to a conveying roller, rotates in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction, transmits the torque to the conveying roller to cause the conveying roller to rotate in the first direction if the shaft rotates in the first direction. The shaft does not transmit the torque to the conveying roller if the shaft rotates in the second direction. The shaft limits the rotation of the conveying roller in the second direction while the shaft is in a rotation-stop state. A controller has a second mode in which the shaft is rotated in a second direction to allow rotation of the conveying roller in the second direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 26, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Toshiaki Oshiro, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Ken Iguchi, Hiroyuki Hazu, Hiroyuki Sugiyama
  • Patent number: 8743164
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a first conveying path to form a conveying path from a sheet supply portion toward an ejector, a reader arranged on the first conveying path to read an image on a surface of the sheet, an erasure to erase the image on the sheet formed with image erasable material, a switching portion arranged on the first conveying path at a downstream side of the reader in a sheet conveying direction to switch the sheet conveying direction to a direction of the ejector or a direction of the erasure, and a second conveying path having the erasure which, at a position where the switching portion is arranged, branches from the first conveying path at the downstream side of the reader and merges with the first conveying path at a meeting point between the sheet supply portion and the reader.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 1, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba, Toshiba Tec Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Ken Iguchi, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Isao Yahata, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Hiroyuki Tsuchihashi, Chiaki Ilzuka
  • Publication number: 20140147136
    Abstract: A sheet feed apparatus which includes a sheet feed tray in which a plurality of sheets is loaded in piles; a sheet feed roller which is provided at a forward position of the sheet feed tray in a sheet feed direction, and sends the loaded sheets inside thereof; and a lift detection sensor which detects, by using a movable lever, a lift of a sheet bundle which occurs when the sheet bundle, of which a rear or a side in a sheet feed direction is bound, is sent by the sheet feed roller therein, the lift detection sensor being provided at a side position of the sheet bundle in a width direction and at a backward position with respect to the center of the sheet bundle in the sheet feed direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 16, 2013
    Publication date: May 29, 2014
    Applicants: TOSHIBA TEC KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
    Inventors: Toshiaki OSHIRO, Ken Iguchi, Isao Yahata, Kikuo Mizutani, Hiroyuki Taki, Chiaki Iizuka, Hidetoshi Yokochi, Yoshiaki Sugizaki, Takahiro Kawaguchi, Hiroyuki Tsuchihasi, Hiroyuki Hazu, Yoichi Yamaguchi, Hiroyuki Sugiyama, Yuichi Saito, Jun Ishii