Patents by Inventor Koji Wada

Koji Wada 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: 20240142913
    Abstract: A cartridge includes a developing roller rotatable about a rotational axis thereof, and a frame configured to support the developing roller. A lever is connected to the frame, with the lever being elastically deformable such that a first part of the lever is movable relative to a second part of the lever and relative to the frame, and the lever protruding from the frame. A coupling member is configured to transmit a rotational force to the developing roller, the coupling member being rotatable about a rotational axis thereof, and the coupling member being movable relative to the frame in a direction of its rotational axis. When the cartridge is oriented with the lever and the electrode portion at a bottom portion of the cartridge, the lever protrudes downward from the frame.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 12, 2024
    Publication date: May 2, 2024
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Yukio Kubo, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Koji Wada
  • Publication number: 20240085851
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a main contact, and a main guide, and a cartridge including a memory contact, a moving unit moving into and out of the apparatus body in a first direction and including a frame to which the cartridge is attached, first and second protrusions protruding in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction from the end surface of the frame, an intermediate contact being in electrical contact with the memory contact, an unit contact being in electrical contact with the main contact, and a line conductor, the first protrusion being supported by the main guide of the apparatus body, the second protrusion being located above the first protrusion. At least part of the line conductor connecting the intermediate contact and the unit contact is located in a recess formed by the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the end surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 15, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Daisuke Abe, Koji Wada
  • Publication number: 20240085823
    Abstract: A cartridge is configured to be attachable to a main body of an image forming apparatus and configured to receive toner supplied from a supply container. The cartridge includes a supply port configured to receive the toner supplied from the supply container, a shutter member configured to cover the supply port, and a locking member. The locking member is moved from a lock position to an unlock position to allow movement of the shutter member by using electric power supplied from the main body.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2023
    Publication date: March 14, 2024
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Masaaki Sato
  • Publication number: 20240044033
    Abstract: A film that contains Ni2O3H as a main component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2023
    Publication date: February 8, 2024
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji WADA, Haruyuki NAKANISHI
  • Patent number: 11862852
    Abstract: A cable antenna an end part of which is connected to an oscillator that supplies a high-frequency current is disclosed. The cable antenna includes: an inner conductor; an insulating layer covering the inner conductor; and an outer conductor covering the insulating layer, wherein only one exposed part is formed in a middle part of the cable antenna in a longitudinal direction, the exposed part formed by removing at least the outer conductor, a distance L between a tip end of the cable antenna and an end of the exposed part on a side closer to the tip end is an odd multiple of a quarter of a wavelength ?, of the high-frequency current, the multiplier being three or greater, and a length G of the exposed part in the longitudinal direction satisfies the following formula (1): ?/20?G<?/4??(1) ?: wavelength (mm) of the high-frequency current.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 2, 2024
    Assignee: Yometel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu Okano, Koji Wada, Shin Wakabayashi
  • Patent number: 11846895
    Abstract: A cartridge is configured to be attachable to a main body of an image forming apparatus and configured to receive toner supplied from a supply container. The cartridge includes a supply port configured to receive the toner supplied from the supply container, a shutter member configured to cover the supply port, and a locking member. The locking member is moved from a lock position to an unlock position to allow movement of the shutter member by using electric power supplied from the main body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 22, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Masaaki Sato
  • Patent number: 11846894
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to accommodate developer containing toner, a developer bearing member to rotate while bearing the developer accommodated in the developer container and develop the electrostatic latent image borne on an image bearing member into a developer image, a detection portion to output remainder amount information corresponding to an amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container, and a notification portion capable of notifying a first state indicating that a remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is a first amount or more and a second state indicating that the remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is less than the first amount. The notification portion notifies one of a plurality of states including the first state and the second state on a basis of the remainder amount information output from the detection portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Publication number: 20230400792
    Abstract: A toner container for use with an image forming apparatus is provided with a toner accommodating portion in which toner is accommodated; a base portion including a receiving opening for receiving the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion, a discharge opening for permitting discharge of the toner, received through the receiving opening, to an outside of the toner container, and a passage which is a passage extending from the receiving opening to the discharge opening and which is for permitting passing of the toner; and a shutter constituted so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis relative to the base between an open position where the discharge opening is exposed to the outside and a closed position where the shutter covers the discharge opening, wherein the passage extends in a direction in which the passage is inclined relative to the rotational axis so that the receiving opening is in a position where the receiving opening crosses the rotational axis and so that the discharge opening
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2023
    Publication date: December 14, 2023
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Hiroshi Takarada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa
  • Patent number: 11841674
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a main contact, and a main guide, and a cartridge including a memory contact, a moving unit moving into and out of the apparatus body in a first direction and including a frame to which the cartridge is attached, first and second protrusions protruding in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction from the end surface of the frame, an intermediate contact being in electrical contact with the memory contact, an unit contact being in electrical contact with the main contact, and a line conductor, the first protrusion being supported by the main guide of the apparatus body, the second protrusion being located above the first protrusion. At least part of the line conductor connecting the intermediate contact and the unit contact is located in a recess formed by the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the end surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Daisuke Abe, Koji Wada
  • Patent number: 11821101
    Abstract: A film that contains Ni2O3H as a main component.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 21, 2023
    Assignee: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Haruyuki Nakanishi
  • Patent number: 11774881
    Abstract: A toner container for use with an image forming apparatus is provided with a toner accommodating portion in which toner is accommodated; a base portion including a receiving opening for receiving the toner accommodated in the toner accommodating portion, a discharge opening for permitting discharge of the toner, received through the receiving opening, to an outside of the toner container, and a passage which is a passage extending from the receiving opening to the discharge opening and which is for permitting passing of the toner; and a shutter constituted so as to be rotatable about a rotational axis relative to the base between an open position where the discharge opening is exposed to the outside and a closed position where the shutter covers the discharge opening, wherein the passage extends in a direction in which the passage is inclined relative to the rotational axis so that the receiving opening is in a position where the receiving opening crosses the rotational axis and so that the discharge opening
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 2, 2022
    Date of Patent: October 3, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Hiroshi Takarada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa
  • Publication number: 20230297024
    Abstract: A cartridge that is mountable to an apparatus main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge includes a developing roller; a frame supporting the developing roller; a movable part movably supported by the frame and movable to a first position and to a second position relative to the frame; and an elastic part provided between the frame and the movable part to urge the movable part. The movable part includes a first force receiving part that receives force from the apparatus main assembly, in a direction of moving from the first position to the second position, and a second force receiving part that receives force from the apparatus main assembly, in a direction of moving from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 25, 2023
    Publication date: September 21, 2023
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Yukio Kubo, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Koji Wada
  • Patent number: 11698601
    Abstract: A cartridge that is mountable to an apparatus main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge includes a developing roller; a frame supporting the developing roller; a movable part movably supported by the frame and movable to a first position and to a second position relative to the frame; and an elastic part provided between the frame and the movable part to urge the movable part. The movable part includes a first force receiving part that receives force from the apparatus main assembly, in a direction of moving from the first position to the second position, and a second force receiving part that receives force from the apparatus main assembly, in a direction of moving from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2022
    Date of Patent: July 11, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Yukio Kubo, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Koji Wada
  • Patent number: 11693355
    Abstract: Movement and/or urging of a developer carrying member is carried out with high precision. A cartridge that is mountable to an apparatus main assembly of an image forming apparatus, the cartridge includes a developing roller; a frame supporting the developing roller; a movable part movably supported by the frame and movable to a first position and to a second position relative to the frame; and an elastic part provided between the frame and the movable part to urge the movable part. The movable part includes a first force receiving part that receives force from the apparatus main assembly, in a direction of moving from the first position to the second position, and a second force receiving part that receives force from the apparatus main assembly, in a direction of moving from the second position to the first position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: July 4, 2023
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Yukio Kubo, Hiroyuki Munetsugu, Koji Wada
  • Publication number: 20230134527
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 4, 2023
    Publication date: May 4, 2023
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
  • Publication number: 20230112483
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an apparatus body including a main contact, and a main guide, and a cartridge including a memory contact, a moving unit moving into and out of the apparatus body in a first direction and including a frame to which the cartridge is attached, first and second protrusions protruding in a second direction orthogonal to the first direction from the end surface of the frame, an intermediate contact being in electrical contact with the memory contact, an unit contact being in electrical contact with the main contact, and a line conductor, the first protrusion being supported by the main guide of the apparatus body, the second protrusion being located above the first protrusion. At least part of the line conductor connecting the intermediate contact and the unit contact is located in a recess formed by the first protrusion, the second protrusion, and the end surface.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 11, 2022
    Publication date: April 13, 2023
    Inventors: Daisuke Abe, Koji Wada
  • Patent number: 11573521
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to and from which a replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion, and a supporting portion, wherein the developer container includes a projection portion that is provided at one end portion thereof in the rotation axis direction of the developer bearing member and projects toward the supporting portion more than a center portion of the developer container in a crossing direction crossing the rotation axis direction, the projection portion communicates with the accommodating portion and includes, at a distal end portion thereof, an attachment portion configured such that the replenishment container is attachable thereto in a state of being exposed to the outside of the apparatus, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with developer from the replenishment container is defined in the attachment portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 13, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignee: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Hiroshi Takarada, Kenji Matsuzaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Yuichiro Inaba, Kenichi Iida, Masaaki Sato
  • Publication number: 20230021894
    Abstract: A cable antenna an end part of which is connected to an oscillator that supplies a high-frequency current is disclosed. The cable antenna includes: an inner conductor; an insulating layer covering the inner conductor; and an outer conductor covering the insulating layer, wherein only one exposed part is formed in a middle part of the cable antenna in a longitudinal direction, the exposed part formed by removing at least the outer conductor, a distance L between a tip end of the cable antenna and an end of the exposed part on a side closer to the tip end is an odd multiple of a quarter of a wavelength ? of the high-frequency current, the multiplier being three or greater, and a length G of the exposed part in the longitudinal direction satisfies the following formula (1): ? / 20 ? ? ? G ? < ? ? / 4 ... ?: wavelength (mm) of the high-frequency current.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 9, 2022
    Publication date: January 26, 2023
    Applicant: Yometel Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshinobu OKANO, Koji WADA, Shin WAKABAYASHI
  • Publication number: 20220404735
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a developer container to accommodate developer containing toner, a developer bearing member to rotate while bearing the developer accommodated in the developer container and develop the electrostatic latent image borne on an image bearing member into a developer image, a detection portion to output remainder amount information corresponding to an amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container, and a notification portion capable of notifying a first state indicating that a remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is a first amount or more and a second state indicating that the remainder amount of the developer accommodated in the developer container is less than the first amount. The notification portion notifies one of a plurality of states including the first state and the second state on a basis of the remainder amount information output from the detection portion.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 24, 2022
    Publication date: December 22, 2022
    Inventors: Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa, Koji Fujinaka, Takao Sameshima, Tomio Noguchi, Akitoshi Toyota, Susumu Nittani
  • Patent number: 11506996
    Abstract: A conveyance mechanism which includes a rotation shaft extending in a direction along a first direction connecting first and second discharge ports that is rotatable with a rotation axis extending in the first direction. Wherein, a first rotation conveyance unit is disposed on the rotation shaft, and is rotatable together with the rotation shaft, conveys developer toward the first discharge port, and a second rotation conveyance unit is disposed on the rotation shaft, and is rotatable together with the rotation shaft, conveys developer toward the second discharge port. The second rotation conveyance unit is configured to provide a larger amount of conveyance than the first rotation conveyance unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Hiroshi Takarada, Masaaki Sato, Koji Wada, Tsuyoshi Ogawa