Patents by Inventor Koji Kato

Koji Kato 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: 20080205930
    Abstract: A process cartridge includes a photosensitive drum, a charging unit, an exposing unit, a developing unit, an intermediate transfer unit, and a cleaning unit, arranged opposite to each other along a rotating direction of the photosensitive drum in an enclosure that has an opening opposite to a developing roller of the developing unit. An extended line connecting a tangent line to an outer circumference of the developing roller and a wall of a first end of the enclosure in an axial direction of the developing roller does not intersect with a wall of a second end of the enclosure.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 22, 2008
    Publication date: August 28, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshihiro KAWAKAMI, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomohiro Kubota
  • Patent number: 7411746
    Abstract: A wide-angle lens system includes a negative front lens group and a positive rear lens group, in this order from the object. The negative front lens group includes a negative first sub-lens group and a positive second sub-lens group, in this order from the object. The positive rear lens group includes cemented lens elements having a positive lens element, a negative lens element and a positive lens element. The wide-angle lens system satisfies the following conditions: ?0.8<fla/flb<?0.2??(1) 0.7<f/fR<1.1??(2) wherein fla designates the focal length of the negative first sub-lens group; flb designates the focal length of the positive second sub-lens group; f designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle lens system; and fR designates the focal length of the positive rear lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: August 12, 2008
    Assignee: Hoya Corporation
    Inventors: Koji Kato, Masakazu Saori
  • Publication number: 20080187358
    Abstract: A developing device configured such that the developing device or the like can be easily inserted and removed without increasing the size of the apparatus, and an image forming apparatus that uses this developing device as well as a process cartridge. The developing device is provided with a first rib formed projecting from a first main wall surface, which is the side surface with the maximum area in the chassis of the developing device, and a second rib formed projecting from a second main wall surface, which is the side surface in opposition to the first main wall surface, the first rib being disposed in a position higher than the second rib in the height direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 28, 2008
    Publication date: August 7, 2008
    Inventors: Tomohiro Kubota, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Koji Kato
  • Publication number: 20080181692
    Abstract: A toner conveying device includes a toner hopper for containing unused toner, a waste-toner hopper for containing waste toner, and waste-toner conveying screws that convey waste toner in the waste-toner hopper. The waste-toner hopper is separated from the toner hopper by a flexible partition made of elastic material. The flexible partition is located near the conveying member, and includes a rigid body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: July 31, 2008
    Inventors: Kenzo TATSUMI, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomohiro Kubota
  • Publication number: 20080170898
    Abstract: A powder conveyance device capable of removing toner (powder) stuck to a conveyor belt easily and reliably comprises a powder conveyor belt having a plurality of concavo-convex portions formed continuously on a conveyance surface thereof, driving means for driving the conveyor belt, and a scraping member that contacts the conveyor belt. At least one of the scraping member and a convex portion of the conveyor belt deforms elastically such that a tip end of the scraping member enters a concave portion and scrapes away the powder stuck to the conveyor belt.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 31, 2007
    Publication date: July 17, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki SHIMIZU, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Tomohiro Kubota, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7400827
    Abstract: According to the present invention, light from a taking lens is reflected by a quick return mirror in a lateral direction of a body unit. Then, after passing through a screen, the light is reflected toward an upper side of the body unit by a second mirror except part of the light. The light reflected by the second mirror is reflected by a third mirror in a direction opposite to a direction in which the light is reflected by the quick return mirror, and is further reflected by a fourth mirror toward an eyepiece located on a back side of the body unit. Part of the light which passing though the screen is taken by an AF sensor unit provided in rear of the second mirror, and an image formation position of an optical image is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2005
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Sumio Kawai, Yoichi Washizu, Koji Kato, Shigeru Iwase, Hiroshi Terada, Shigeru Kato
  • Publication number: 20080152408
    Abstract: A cleaning device includes a cleaning blade, a receiving member, an inlet seal, an adhering member, and an end seal. The cleaning blade is brought into contact with a photosensitive drum to remove residual toner therefrom. The receiving member receives the residual toner. The inlet seal guides the residual toner to the receiving member. The adhering member adheres the inlet seal to the receiving member. The end seal is arranged along the end portions of the cleaning blade and the inlet seal. The inlet seal covers the end seal and extends out from the end seal in its longitudinal direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 17, 2007
    Publication date: June 26, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kawakami, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomohiro Kubota
  • Patent number: 7391460
    Abstract: A camera according to the present invention includes a picture-taking lens unit including a picture-taking optical system having a bending optical system which optically bends incident light and an optical finder unit including a finder optical system having a bending optical system which optically bends incident light. A pre-bending optical system and a post-bending optical system in the bending optical system of the optical finder unit are arranged adjacent to a pre-bending optical system and a post-bending optical system in the bending optical system of the picture-taking lens unit, respectively. The body of the camera is therefore decreased in size.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2008
    Assignee: Olympus Corporation
    Inventors: Takeshi Abe, Akira Futami, Koji Kato, Takashi Okamura, Yasuo Asakura, Toshikatsu Shiozaki
  • Publication number: 20080145119
    Abstract: An operation to recycle a process cartridge comprising a mechanism for returning waste toner not used in image formation from an image carrier to a developing device can be performed easily, and situations in which an image creating element that has not reached the end of its life is discarded together with an image creating element that has reached the end of its life, making reuse thereof impossible, can be suppressed. The process cartridge comprises an image carrier unit including an image carrier, a developer carrier unit including developing means, and a waste toner conveyance unit having a built-in waste toner conveyance mechanism. These three units are assembled detachably.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2007
    Publication date: June 19, 2008
    Inventors: Kenzo TATSUMI, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomohiro Kubota, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Koji Kato
  • Patent number: 7372807
    Abstract: In a transmission network including multiplex transmission units A, F, G, D and E, when the line breakage has occurred on the OC-12 transmission path of the direction from unit A to unit F, the unit F detects the signal coming in from the OC-12 path indicative of the line breakage. The unit F inserts the APS bytes which comes in from the unit A into the undefined area of the OC-192 transport overhead which is reserved for the through-transport of APS bytes, and transports it to the unit G. On receiving the through-transport APS bytes, the unit G inserts it intact into the defined area for the APS bytes in the OC-12 transport overhead, and sends it to the unit D. In this manner, protection switching between the units A and D is carried out.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 13, 2008
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masaki Ohira, Masazumi Noguchi, Takashi Mori, Mitsunobu Kimura, Koji Kato
  • Publication number: 20080107517
    Abstract: A method is provided of manufacturing semiconductor devices formed on a semiconductor wafer, including placing the wafer in a semiconductor container and conveying the container to a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus. An opening of the container is opposed to an opening of the apparatus such that an opener of the apparatus holds a lid of the opening the container. A key of the opener is inserted to a latch groove of the lid, and the key is rotated to contact a latch of the lid. The openings are connected such that a velocity differential pressure ratio obtained by dividing the maximum velocity when the opener holding the lid horizontally moves away from the opening of the container, by the differential pressure between the inside pressure and the outside pressure of the apparatus, is set to be 0.06 ((m/s)/Pa) or less, and then the wafer is processed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2007
    Publication date: May 8, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshiaki KOYAYASHI, Shigen Kobayashi, Kenji Tokunaga, Koji Kato, Teruo Minami
  • Publication number: 20080104020
    Abstract: Implementations of a handwritten query builder are described. Digital ink objects entered by a user are interpreted to generate multiple search terms. The search terms are ordered based on relationships between the digital ink objects to create a query string. For example, relative position (vertical and/or horizontal), relative height, relative line thickness, relative line color, and so on, may be used independently or in combination to determine an ordering of the search terms represented by the digital ink objects.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 27, 2006
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: Microsoft Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kato
  • Publication number: 20080102287
    Abstract: A silicon wafer for an IGBT is produced by forming an ingot having an interstitial oxygen concentration [Oi] of not more than 7.0×1017 atoms/cm3 by the Czochralski method; doping phosphorus in the ingot by neutron beam irradiation to the ingot; slicing a wafer from the ingot; performing annealing of the wafer in an oxidizing atmosphere containing at least oxygen at a temperature satisfying a predetermined formula; and forming a polysilicon layer or a strained layer on one side of the wafer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2007
    Publication date: May 1, 2008
    Applicant: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Umeno, Yasuhiro Oura, Koji Kato
  • Publication number: 20080095559
    Abstract: A toner conveyer device for use in an image forming apparatus includes a toner conveyer belt that conveys waste toner, a screw member that receives the waste toner from the toner conveyer belt and conveys the waste toner to a housing unit, and a scraping member that scraps waste toner that adheres to the screw member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 15, 2007
    Publication date: April 24, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomofumi Yoshida, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Koji Kato, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Tomohiro Kubota
  • Publication number: 20080089727
    Abstract: A waste-toner housing device that is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus for housing waste toner includes a waste-toner container and a first conveying member and a second conveying member that convey the wasted toner. The first conveying member and the second conveying member are arranged inside the waste-toner container in such a manner that the second conveying member is located at an elevated level with respect to the first conveying member.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2007
    Publication date: April 17, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshihiro Kawakami, Tomohiro Kubota, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida
  • Patent number: 7348876
    Abstract: An obstacle detection device for a vehicle notifies the driver of an obstacle approaching rapidly in the rear side by sound when a detected velocity of the obstacle relative to the vehicle is larger than a threshold velocity. It does not notify the driver of the obstacle by sound when the detected relative velocity is smaller than the threshold velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2005
    Date of Patent: March 25, 2008
    Assignee: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Koji Kato, Masakazu Takeichi, Yoshihisa Sato
  • Patent number: 7344689
    Abstract: A silicon wafer for an IGBT is produced by forming an ingot having an interstitial oxygen concentration [Oi] of not more than 7.0×1017 atoms/cm3 by the Czochralski method; doping phosphorus in the ingot by neutron beam irradiation to the ingot; slicing a wafer from the ingot; performing annealing of the wafer in an oxidizing atmosphere containing at least oxygen at a temperature satisfying a predetermined formula; and forming a polysilicon layer or a strained layer on one side of the wafer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 18, 2008
    Assignee: Sumco Corporation
    Inventors: Shigeru Umeno, Yasuhiro Oura, Koji Kato
  • Publication number: 20080040833
    Abstract: Ladies' pants has an inside belt portion that is provided with an eyelet buttonhole as a second buttonhole. A moving cloth is provided inside the inside belt portion. A button is sewn on the moving cloth and is taken out from the eyelet buttonhole so as to be movable inside the eyelet buttonhole. If the button is engaged with the second buttonhole, the eyelet buttonhole is hidden under an outside belt portion. Then, the ladies' pants allows a waist size to continuously change, thereby giving a wearer a relaxed and comfortable wearing feeling. A round part of the eyelet buttonhole is located at a position corresponding to nearly a center of the moving cloth when the moving cloth returns to its original position. Then, even if the button is detached, the button can be stitched by scoop sewing through the round part of the eyelet buttonhole. Thus, the button can be surely reattached to the moving cloth.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2006
    Publication date: February 21, 2008
    Inventor: Koji KATO
  • Patent number: 7324293
    Abstract: A wide-angle lens system includes a negative front lens group and a positive rear lens group, in this order from the object. The negative front lens group includes a negative first sub-lens group and a positive second sub-lens group, in this order from the object. The positive rear lens group includes cemented lens elements having a positive R1 lens element and a negative R2 lens element, a positive R3 lens element having a convex surface facing toward the image, and a positive R4 lens element, in this order from the object. The wide-angle lens system satisfies the following conditions: ?0.8<f1a/f1b<?0.1 ??(1) 0.6<f/fR<1.1 ??(2) wherein f1a designates the focal length of the negative first sub-lens group; f1b designates the focal length of the positive second sub-lens group; f designates the focal length of the entire wide-angle lens system; and fR designates the focal length of the positive rear lens group.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 2007
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2008
    Assignee: PENTAX Corporation
    Inventor: Koji Kato
  • Publication number: 20080019720
    Abstract: A first bearing member and a second bearing member fit in a first side and a second side of a rotating shaft in the axial direction, respectively. The first bearing member is held by a supporting portion provided in a casing on a side corresponding to an emplacing member of an image carrier drum. The second bearing member is held by fitting in a fit-in portion from inside. A wall surface that regulates a charging roller in a longitudinal direction is formed on the second bearing member to protrude from a wall surface rotatably and pivotally supporting the charging roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 26, 2007
    Publication date: January 24, 2008
    Inventors: Yoshihiro Kawakami, Koji Kato, Hirobumi Ooyoshi, Tomofumi Yoshida, Kenzo Tatsumi, Yoshiyuki Shimizu, Tomohiro Kubota