Patents by Inventor Koichi Kakubari
Koichi Kakubari 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).
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Publication number: 20240069472Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a fixing device, first and second fans, and a reciprocating portion to reciprocate the fixing device in a widthwise direction of the fixing device. The fixing device includes a fixing film, a pressing roller to form a nip portion where a recording material on which a toner image is carried is nipped and conveyed between the fixing film and the pressing roller and the toner image is fixed on the recording material. The first and second fans send an air from openings thereof toward first and second areas of the fixing film on both end sides in the widthwise direction. A controller changes at least one opening width of the first and second fans depending on a position with respect to the widthwise direction of the fixing device.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 23, 2023Publication date: February 29, 2024Inventors: KOICHI KAKUBARI, IKUO NAKAMOTO, AKIHIRO MAEDA
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Patent number: 11669028Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit comprising a fixing member configured to fix a toner image to a recording material, and a pressure member configured to form a first nip portion, a conveyance portion configured to form a second nip portion, and a control unit configured to execute, a conveyance mode of conveying the recording material so that the recording material is not looped between the first nip portion and the second nip portion prior to a predetermined timing during passing of the recording material of the first nip portion, and conveying the recording material so that the recording material is looped toward the pressure member from the predetermined timing until a trailing edge of the recording material has passed through the first nip portion.Type: GrantFiled: August 19, 2021Date of Patent: June 6, 2023Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masanobu Tanaka, Oki Kitagawa, Koichi Kakubari, Hiroto Ito
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Publication number: 20220066362Abstract: According to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus includes a fixing unit comprising a fixing member configured to fix a toner image to a recording material, and a pressure member configured to form a first nip portion, a conveyance portion configured to form a second nip portion, and a control unit configured to execute, a conveyance mode of conveying the recording material so that the recording material is not looped between the first nip portion and the second nip portion prior to a predetermined timing during passing of the recording material of the first nip portion, and conveying the recording material so that the recording material is looped toward the pressure member from the predetermined timing until a trailing edge of the recording material has passed through the first nip portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 19, 2021Publication date: March 3, 2022Inventors: Masanobu Tanaka, Oki Kitagawa, Koichi Kakubari, Hiroto Ito
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Patent number: 11144008Abstract: An image heating apparatus including first and second rotatable members, first and second cooling fans, an air blowing port, a shutter member, a shutter controller, and a fan controller. The first cooling fan is provided at a position opposing a first region which is a part of an end portion region of the first rotatable member on one end side. The second cooling fan is provided at a position opposing a second region which is part of the end portion region. The second region is adjacent to the first region with respect to the longitudinal direction. The shutter controller is configured to control a position of the shutter member depending on a width size of a recording material. The fan controller is configured to independently control an operation of the first cooling fan and an operation of the second cooling fan depending on the width size of the recording material.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2019Date of Patent: October 12, 2021Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Hiroto Ito, Ikuo Nakamoto, Toru Katsumi, Masayuki Tamaki, Akiyoshi Shinagawa, Koichi Kakubari
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Publication number: 20200110359Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes first and second rotatable members for forming a nip for heating a toner image on a recording material while feeding the recording material; first and second cooling fans for cooling an end portion region of the first rotatable member on one end side, the first cooling fan being provided at a position opposing a first region which is a part of the end portion region, and the second cooling fan being provided at a position opposing a second region which is a region being a part of the end portion region and being adjacent to the first region with respect to the longitudinal direction and which is closer to an end portion of the first rotatable member on the one end side than the first region is; an air blowing port for sending air by the first and second cooling fans toward the first rotatable member; a shutter member capable of changing an opening width of the air blowing port; a shutter controller for controlling a position of the shutter member depending on a width size oType: ApplicationFiled: December 5, 2019Publication date: April 9, 2020Inventors: Hiroto Ito, Ikuo Nakamoto, Toru Katsumi, Masayuki Tamaki, Akiyoshi Shinagawa, Koichi Kakubari
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Patent number: 10261429Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic member capable of reducing a rise time of a fixing apparatus and preventing occurrence of a defective image due to an electrostatic offset. The electrophotographic member has a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a fluororesin, in this order, the elastic layer has a communication hole of which pores are communicated with each other, and an ionic conductive agent is adhered to an inner wall of the communication hole.Type: GrantFiled: January 4, 2018Date of Patent: April 16, 2019Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Akeshi Asaka, Shigeaki Takada, Akiyoshi Shinagawa, Koichi Kakubari, Hiroto Ito, Yutaka Arai
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Publication number: 20180210354Abstract: Provided is an electrophotographic member capable of reducing a rise time of a fixing apparatus and preventing occurrence of a defective image due to an electrostatic offset. The electrophotographic member has a substrate, an elastic layer, and a surface layer containing a fluororesin, in this order, the elastic layer has a communication hole of which pores are communicated with each other, and an ionic conductive agent is adhered to an inner wall of the communication hole.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 4, 2018Publication date: July 26, 2018Inventors: Akeshi Asaka, Shigeaki Takada, Akiyoshi Shinagawa, Koichi Kakubari, Hiroto Ito, Yutaka Arai
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Patent number: 9753429Abstract: A fixing apparatus including a flexible belt having a heat generating layer, an outer ring provided on one edge side of the belt and along an outer peripheral surface of the belt, the outer ring being electrically connected to the heat generating layer, an inner ring provided on the one edge side of the belt and along an inner peripheral surface of the belt to face the outer ring through the belt, and a power supply unit that is electrically connected to the outer ring and that feeds power. A difference obtained by subtracting a diameter of the inner ring at a normal temperature from a diameter of the inner ring at a fixing temperature is equivalent to or larger than a difference obtained by subtracting a diameter of the outer ring at the normal temperature from a diameter of the outer ring at the fixing temperature.Type: GrantFiled: November 6, 2015Date of Patent: September 5, 2017Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryo Yashiro, Hidekazu Maruta, Masayuki Tamaki, Ryo Suzuki, Mitsuru Hasegawa, Rikiya Takemasa, Koichi Kakubari, Shigeru Hirano
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Publication number: 20170227901Abstract: An image heating device includes a fixing belt (100) including a heat generating layer (102); a pressure roller (110) configured to rotationally drive the fixing belt; a power feed ring (119) disposed at one end of the fixing belt in a longitudinal direction and extending along an outer periphery of the fixing belt, the power feed ring being electrically connected to the heat generating layer; a brush (81) configured to be brought into contact with an outer periphery of the power feed ring and electrically connected to the power feed ring; a power supply circuit (79) configured to feed power to the brush; and a leaf spring (82) configured to elastically press the brush toward the power feed ring, the leaf spring being configured to come into contact with the power feed ring when the brush wears by a predetermined amount.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2017Publication date: August 10, 2017Inventors: Rikiya Takemasa, Hidekazu Maruta, Masayuki Tamaki, Ryo Suzuki, Mitsuru Hasegawa, Ryo Yashiro, Koichi Kakubari, Shigeru Hirano
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Patent number: 9519250Abstract: A heater includes a substrate, a first electrical contact, second electrical contacts, first electrode portions and second electrode portions, heat generating portions, a first electroconductive line portion, and a second electroconductive line portion. The heat generating portions are disposed so as to be offset from a center line of the substrate with respect to a widthwise direction of the substrate.Type: GrantFiled: January 12, 2016Date of Patent: December 13, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Akeshi Asaka, Toshinori Nakayama, Shigeaki Takada, Masayuki Tamaki, Naoki Akiyama, Koichi Kakubari
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Patent number: 9513592Abstract: A heater includes a substrate, a first electrical contact, a plurality of second electrical contacts, a plurality of electrode portions including first electrode portions electrically connected with the first electrical contact and second electrode portions electrically connected with the second electrical contacts, the first electrode portions and the second electrode portions being arranged alternately with predetermined gaps in a longitudinal direction of the substrate, and a plurality of heat generating portions provided between adjacent ones of the electrode portions so as to electrically connect between adjacent electrode portion. The heat generating portions are capable of generating heat by the electric power supply between adjacent electrode portions. A part of the second electrical contacts is selectably electrically connectable with the second terminal. The electrode portions are covered with the heat generating portions so as to be positioned between the substrate and the heat generating portions.Type: GrantFiled: September 3, 2015Date of Patent: December 6, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoki Akiyama, Toshinori Nakayama, Masayuki Tamaki, Shigeaki Takada, Akeshi Asaka, Koichi Kakubari
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Patent number: 9504096Abstract: A heater includes: a substrate; a first electrical contact; second electrical contacts; first and second electrodes; heat generating portions; a first electroconductive line portion electrically connecting the first electrical contact and the first electrode portions; and a second electroconductive line portion electrically connecting one of the second electrical contacts and a part of the second electrode portions. A cross-sectional area of a portion, of the first electroconductive line portion, into which all of currents flowing through the first electrode portions merge when the currents flow from the first electrode portions toward the first electrical contact is larger than a cross-sectional area of a portion, of the second electroconductive line portion, into which all of currents flowing through the part of the second electrode portions merge when the currents flow from the part of the second electrode portions toward the one of second electrical contacts.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2015Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Koichi Kakubari, Toshinori Nakayama, Shigeaki Takada, Masayuki Tamaki, Naoki Akiyama, Akeshi Asaka
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Patent number: 9488938Abstract: A heater includes: a substrate; a first electrical contact; a plurality of second electrical contacts; an electroconductive line portion electrically connected with the first electrical contact; a plurality of electrode portions including first electrode portions electrically connected with the first electrical contact through the electroconductive line portion and second electrode portions electrically connected with the second electrical contacts; and a plurality of heat generating portions provided between adjacent ones of the electrode portions. The cross-section of the electroconductive line portion in a side closer to the first electrical contact than the plurality of heat generating portions with respect to the longitudinal direction is larger than the cross-section of a predetermined electrode portion, between adjacent heat generating portions, of the plurality of electrode portions.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2015Date of Patent: November 8, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masayuki Tamaki, Toshinori Nakayama, Shigeaki Takada, Naoki Akiyama, Akeshi Asaka, Koichi Kakubari
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Publication number: 20160202649Abstract: A heater includes a substrate, a first electrical contact, second electrical contacts, first electrode portions and second electrode portions, heat generating portions, a first electroconductive line portion, and a second electroconductive line portion. The heat generating portions are disposed so as to be offset from a center line of the substrate with respect to a widthwise direction of the substrate.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 12, 2016Publication date: July 14, 2016Inventors: Akeshi Asaka, Toshinori Nakayama, Shigeaki Takada, Masayuki Tamaki, Naoki Akiyama, Koichi Kakubari
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Patent number: 9372455Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heating belt having a heat generating layer configured to generate heat by energization, a pressing roller configured to abut on an outer peripheral surface of the heating belt to form a nip portion, a pressing mechanism configured to press the heating belt against the pressing roller, an outer ring electrically connected to the heating belt in an end portion of the heating belt, a power feed member configured to abut on the outer ring to feed power to the outer ring, and an inner ring configured to clamp the end portion of the heating belt between the inner ring and the outer ring. A chamfered portion of the inner ring is chamfered.Type: GrantFiled: October 5, 2015Date of Patent: June 21, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Ryo Yashiro, Hidekazu Maruta, Masayuki Tamaki, Ryo Suzuki, Mitsuru Hasegawa, Rikiya Takemasa, Koichi Kakubari, Shigeru Hirano
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Patent number: 9354570Abstract: A heater includes a substrate, electrode portions, electrical contact portions, heat generating portions, and electroconductive line portions. The electrode portions include first group electrode portions and second group electrode portions. The electroconductive line portions include a main line portion extending from the electrical contact portions in the longitudinal direction, a first branch line portion branching from the main line portion so as to electrically connect with a first electrode portion of the first group electrode portions, and a second branch line portion branching from the main line portion so as to electrically connect with a second electrode portion of the first group electrode portions. The second electrode portion is spaced farther from the electrical contact portions than the first electrode portion in the longitudinal direction, and the electric resistance of the first branch line portion is larger than the electric resistance of the second branch line portion.Type: GrantFiled: September 17, 2015Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kota Arimoto, Toshinori Nakayama, Shigeaki Takada, Masayuki Tamaki, Naoki Akiyama, Akeshi Asaka, Koichi Kakubari
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Patent number: 9348283Abstract: A fixing device includes a rotatable heating member and a rotatable pressing member which are configured to fix a toner image on a recording material in a nip therebetween; and a heating mechanism configured to selectively heat regions of the rotatable heating member depending on sizes of the recording material when the sizes are predetermined ones of all sizes usable in the fixing device. The rotatable pressing member includes a base layer and a porous elastic layer provided on the base layer and containing a needle-like filler. The elastic layer having a thermal conductivity, with respect to a longitudinal direction thereof, which is 6 times to 900 times a thermal conductivity with respect to a thickness direction thereof.Type: GrantFiled: July 14, 2015Date of Patent: May 24, 2016Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Shigeaki Takada, Toshinori Nakayama, Masayuki Tamaki, Naoki Akiyama, Akeshi Asaka, Koichi Kakubari, Yutaka Arai, Jun Miura
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Publication number: 20160132009Abstract: A fixing apparatus including a flexible belt having a heat generating layer, an outer ring provided on one edge side of the belt and along an outer peripheral surface of the belt, the outer ring being electrically connected to the heat generating layer, an inner ring provided on the one edge side of the belt and along an inner peripheral surface of the belt to face the outer ring through the belt, and a power supply unit that is electrically connected to the outer ring and that feeds power. A difference obtained by subtracting a diameter of the inner ring at a normal temperature from a diameter of the inner ring at a fixing temperature is equivalent to or larger than a difference obtained by subtracting a diameter of the outer ring at the normal temperature from a diameter of the outer ring at the fixing temperature.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 6, 2015Publication date: May 12, 2016Inventors: Ryo Yashiro, Hidekazu Maruta, Masayuki Tamaki, Ryo Suzuki, Mitsuru Hasegawa, Rikiya Takemasa, Koichi Kakubari, Shigeru Hirano
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Publication number: 20160098002Abstract: An image heating apparatus includes a heating belt having a heat generating layer configured to generate heat by energization, a pressing roller configured to abut on an outer peripheral surface of the heating belt to form a nip portion, a pressing mechanism configured to press the heating belt against the pressing roller, an outer ring electrically connected to the heating belt in an end portion of the heating belt, a power feed member configured to abut on the outer ring to feed power to the outer ring, and an inner ring configured to clamp the end portion of the heating belt between the inner ring and the outer ring. A chamfered portion of the inner ring is chamfered.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 5, 2015Publication date: April 7, 2016Inventors: Ryo Yashiro, Hidekazu Maruta, Masayuki Tamaki, Ryo Suzuki, Mitsuru Hasegawa, Rikiya Takemasa, Koichi Kakubari, Shigeru Hirano
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Publication number: 20160085189Abstract: A heater includes a substrate, electrode portions, electrical contact portions, heat generating portions, and electroconductive line portions. The electrode portions include first group electrode portions and second group electrode portions. The electroconductive line portions include a main line portion extending from the electrical contact portions in the longitudinal direction, a first branch line portion branching from the main line portion so as to electrically connect with a first electrode portion of the first group electrode portions, and a second branch line portion branching from the main line portion so as to electrically connect with a second electrode portion of the first group electrode portions. The second electrode portion is spaced from the electrical contact portions more than the first electrode portion in the longitudinal direction, and an electric resistance of the first branch line portion is larger than an electric resistance of the second branch line portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 17, 2015Publication date: March 24, 2016Inventors: Kota Arimoto, Toshinori Nakayama, Shigeaki Takada, Masayuki Tamaki, Naoki Akiyama, Akeshi Asaka, Koichi Kakubari