Patents by Inventor Kouei CHO

Kouei CHO 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: 20260036930
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a fixer that fixes a toner image on a sheet; and a controller that sets a target glossiness, and adjusts at least one parameter selected from a fixing target temperature and a conveyance condition of the sheet in the fixer, using a gloss control temperature, to achieve the target glossiness that has been set.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 29, 2025
    Publication date: February 5, 2026
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuta Tachibana, Kazumichi Yoshida, Kouei Cho, Satoshi Miyajima, Kei Kiyama, Akimasa Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20250270062
    Abstract: Provided is a conveyance state determination system including a controller. The controller acquires actual state information corresponding to a speed change of a sheet on a conveyance path of the sheet based on detection results of a plurality of sheet detection sensors disposed on the conveyance path. The controller acquires reference state information to be compared with the actual state information. The controller compares the actual state information and the reference state information to output evaluation information for evaluating a state of a conveyance device that conveys the sheet through the conveyance path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 25, 2025
    Publication date: August 28, 2025
    Inventors: Kouei CHO, Yuta TACHIBANA, Tadayuki UEDA, Shoichi TAO
  • Publication number: 20250231513
    Abstract: An image forming system includes an image former that forms an image on a sheet, a reader that reads the image formed on the sheet by the image former, and a hardware processor that controls a conveyance speed of the sheet at the reader in accordance with a physical property value of the sheet.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 26, 2024
    Publication date: July 17, 2025
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Hidenori MINE, Yuta TACHIBANA, Masato SAKURAI, Kazumichi YOSHIDA, Kouei CHO, Kei KIYAMA
  • Patent number: 12210306
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming system capable of accurately detecting the resistance of a recording material. The image forming system includes an application roller that applies a voltage to a recording material on a conveyance path, and a controller that calculates the electric resistance of the recording material from a relationship between the voltage applied to the application roller and a current. The controller calculates the resistance of the recording material based on first profile information that is acquired by changing the applied voltage and corresponds to a change in the resistance of the application roller, and second profile information that is acquired by changing the applied voltage in a state where the recording material is sandwiched and corresponds to the change in the resistance of the application roller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Date of Patent: January 28, 2025
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuhei Tatsumoto, Akimasa Ishikawa, Makoto Shimazoe, Yuta Tachibana, Kouei Cho
  • Patent number: 11990856
    Abstract: A rotation detector includes a motor, a current detector and a hardware processor. The motor includes coils of two or more phases and a rotor. The current detector detects currents flowing in coils of at least two phases among the coils of two or more phases. The hardware processor estimates an initial position of the rotor based on current values of the currents detected by the current detector to start the motor, controls an energization pattern on the phases to rotate and start the motor based on the estimated initial position, and determines whether the rotor stops or is rotating before completing the estimation of the initial position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2024
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuta Tachibana, Hiroyuki Yoshikawa, Kazumichi Yoshida, Satoshi Miyajima, Kouei Cho
  • Publication number: 20230375968
    Abstract: Provided is an image forming system capable of accurately detecting the resistance of a recording material. The image forming system includes an application roller that applies a voltage to a recording material on a conveyance path, and a controller that calculates the electric resistance of the recording material from a relationship between the voltage applied to the application roller and a current. The controller calculates the resistance of the recording material based on first profile information that is acquired by changing the applied voltage and corresponds to a change in the resistance of the application roller, and second profile information that is acquired by changing the applied voltage in a state where the recording material is sandwiched and corresponds to the change in the resistance of the application roller.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 13, 2023
    Publication date: November 23, 2023
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Yuhei TATSUMOTO, Akimasa ISHIKAWA, Makoto SHIMAZOE, Yuta TACHIBANA, Kouei CHO
  • Publication number: 20230008381
    Abstract: A rotation detector includes a motor, a current detector and a hardware processor. The motor includes coils of two or more phases and a rotor. The current detector detects currents flowing in coils of at least two phases among the coils of two or more phases. The hardware processor estimates an initial position of the rotor based on current values of the currents detected by the current detector to start the motor, controls an energization pattern on the phases to rotate and start the motor based on the estimated initial position, and determines whether the rotor stops or is rotating before completing the estimation of the initial position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 30, 2022
    Publication date: January 12, 2023
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Yuta TACHIBANA, Hiroyuki YOSHIKAWA, Kazumichi YOSHIDA, Satoshi MIYAJIMA, Kouei CHO
  • Patent number: 11221578
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance path that conveys a sheet; registration rollers that are arranged across the conveyance path and each comprise a nip part; a sheet locking member that locks a front end of a sheet conveyed in the conveyance path, where the sheet locking member swings between a first attitude and a second attitude, in the first attitude the sheet locking member locks the sheet on an upstream side of the nip part, and in the second attitude the sheet locking member is retracted to a downstream side of the nip part and allows the sheet to pass through the nip part; an energizer that energizes the sheet locking member to maintain the first attitude; and a hardware processor that detects deterioration of the energizer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 11, 2022
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Taku Kimura, Masahiro Kamiya, Junichi Masuda, Masahiro Nonoyama, Kouei Cho, Akimasa Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20200201233
    Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a conveyance path that conveys a sheet; registration rollers that are arranged across the conveyance path and each comprise a nip part; a sheet locking member that locks a front end of a sheet conveyed in the conveyance path, where the sheet locking member swings between a first attitude and a second attitude, in the first attitude the sheet locking member locks the sheet on an upstream side of the nip part, and in the second attitude the sheet locking member is retracted to a downstream side of the nip part and allows the sheet to pass through the nip part; an energizer that energizes the sheet locking member to maintain the first attitude; and a hardware processor that detects deterioration of the energizer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 4, 2019
    Publication date: June 25, 2020
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Taku Kimura, Masahiro Kamiya, Junichi Masuda, Masahiro Nonoyama, Kouei Cho, Akimasa Ishikawa
  • Publication number: 20200084321
    Abstract: An image processing system includes: a mobile terminal; and a server apparatus, wherein the mobile terminal includes a camera, a display that displays an apparatus image of an image forming apparatus, a microphone that collects sound output from the image forming apparatus, and a first hardware processor that controls the camera, the microphone and the display, the server apparatus includes a second hardware processor that controls the server apparatus, the second hardware processor performs identifying a portion of the image forming apparatus, setting the portion identified as a sound collection target position, and clipping a partial image including the sound collection target position and representing an outline of a part of the image forming apparatus, from a main body image generated in advance as an image representing an outer shape of the image forming apparatus, and the display displays the partial image.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 7, 2019
    Publication date: March 12, 2020
    Inventors: Shiro UMEDA, Masayuki WATANABE, Takeshi ISHIDA, Akinori KIMATA, Takashi WATANABE, Kouei CHO
  • Patent number: 10313546
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for separating and conveying documents from a bundle of documents, causing the document to pass through a reading position, and reading an image from the document, includes: a reading translucent plate; a rotation member capable of rotating around a shaft; and a rotation driver that rotates the rotation member, wherein in the rotation member, each of: a cleaning member; a white reference area; and an end portion detection area is formed partially with regard to a circumferential direction, the cleaning member and the end portion detection area are arranged adjacent to each other, the rotation driver is arranged so that the end portion detection area faces an opposing surface, and the rotation member is rotated in a paper interval period from when a trailing edge of the document passes the reading position to when a leading edge of a subsequent document reaches the reading position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2019
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Watanabe, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Kiyohito Tsujihara, Akinori Kimata, Shiro Umeda, Kouei Cho
  • Patent number: 10148167
    Abstract: A power supply device includes: a first transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding; a first control circuit controlling a switching operation of a switch element, and cause the primary winding to generate a first AC voltage; an application circuit receiving a second AC voltage generated in the secondary winding by mutual induction with the primary winding, and apply an output voltage according to the second AC voltage to a load; a voltage detection circuit detecting a magnitude of a DC voltage obtained by rectifying the first AC voltage or the second AC voltage; and an output circuit outputting a stop signal indicating stop of the power supply device, when a result of comparison between the magnitude of the DC voltage and a threshold value set according to a magnitude of the load satisfies a predetermined condition, after reception of an instruction to stop voltage supply.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Kasamatsu, Mikiyuki Aoki, Kouei Cho
  • Patent number: 10069425
    Abstract: A power supply device having a transformer and a control circuit for controlling a power input to the transformer in accordance with a set value of an output voltage is provided. The power supply device includes an auxiliary winding provided in the transformer and a control power supply circuit configured to rectify AC power produced in the auxiliary winding to output a control voltage for operating the control circuit. The control power supply circuit includes a smoothing capacitor which is connected between output terminals for the control voltage and is to be charged with power obtained by rectifying the AC power, and a charge thinning circuit configured to intermittently charge the smoothing capacitor so that a voltage value between both ends of the smoothing capacitor reaches a set value of the control voltage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: September 4, 2018
    Assignee: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kouei Cho, Mikiyuki Aoki, Toru Kasamatsu
  • Publication number: 20180229956
    Abstract: Provided is a document conveyance apparatus that conveys a document along a document conveyance path including a reading position at which an image on a surface of the document is read, the document conveyance apparatus including: a hardware processor; an end detector that detects an angle of a corner portion of a front edge of the document; and an inclination detector that detects an amount of inclination of the front edge, wherein, in a case where it has been determined that the corner portion of the front edge includes a right angle portion on the basis of information obtained from the end detector, the hardware processor determines the amount of inclination of the front edge obtained from the inclination detector as an amount of inclination of the document, and performs inclination correction of the image read at the reading position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 11, 2018
    Publication date: August 16, 2018
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kazutoshi YOSHIMURA, Kiyohito TSUJIHARA, Akinori KIMATA, Takashi WATANABE, Shiro UMEDA, Kouei CHO
  • Publication number: 20180109693
    Abstract: An image reading apparatus for separating and conveying documents from a bundle of documents, causing the document to pass through a reading position, and reading an image from the document, includes: a reading translucent plate; a rotation member capable of rotating around a shaft; and a rotation driver that rotates the rotation member, wherein in the rotation member, each of: a cleaning member; a white reference area; and an end portion detection area is formed partially with regard to a circumferential direction, the cleaning member and the end portion detection area are arranged adjacent to each other, the rotation driver is arranged so that the end portion detection area faces an opposing surface, and the rotation member is rotated in a paper interval period from when a trailing edge of the document passes the reading position to when a leading edge of a subsequent document reaches the reading position,
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 28, 2017
    Publication date: April 19, 2018
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Takashi Watanabe, Kazutoshi Yoshimura, Kiyohito Tsujihara, Akinori Kimata, Shiro Umeda, Kouei Cho
  • Patent number: 9927759
    Abstract: A first rectification circuit includes a bypass element connected to both ends of a rectification element. The bypass element is smaller in voltage drop amount than the rectification element. A power supply device is configured to perform switching between a first mode and a second mode based on at least one of information showing a magnitude of electric power that is being supplied to a load and information showing a magnitude of electric power that is to be supplied to the load. In the first mode, an AC voltage is rectified in a path including the rectification element. In the second mode, the AC voltage is rectified in a path including the bypass element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2018
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Toru Kasamatsu, Mikiyuki Aoki, Kouei Cho
  • Publication number: 20180026524
    Abstract: A power supply device includes: a first transformer including a primary winding and a secondary winding; a first control circuit controlling a switching operation of a switch element, and cause the primary winding to generate a first AC voltage; an application circuit receiving a second AC voltage generated in the secondary winding by mutual induction with the primary winding, and apply an output voltage according to the second AC voltage to a load; a voltage detection circuit detecting a magnitude of a DC voltage obtained by rectifying the first AC voltage or the second AC voltage; and an output circuit outputting a stop signal indicating stop of the power supply device, when a result of comparison between the magnitude of the DC voltage and a threshold value set according to a magnitude of the load satisfies a predetermined condition, after reception of an instruction to stop voltage supply.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 21, 2017
    Publication date: January 25, 2018
    Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Toru KASAMATSU, Mikiyuki AOKI, Kouei CHO
  • Publication number: 20170271994
    Abstract: A power supply device having a transformer and a control circuit for controlling a power input to the transformer in accordance with a set value of an output voltage is provided. The power supply device includes an auxiliary winding provided in the transformer and a control power supply circuit configured to rectify AC power produced in the auxiliary winding to output a control voltage for operating the control circuit. The control power supply circuit includes a smoothing capacitor which is connected between output terminals for the control voltage and is to be charged with power obtained by rectifying the AC power, and a charge thinning circuit configured to intermittently charge the smoothing capacitor so that a voltage value between both ends of the smoothing capacitor reaches a set value of the control voltage.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 13, 2017
    Publication date: September 21, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Kouei Cho, Mikiyuki Aoki, Toru Kasamatsu
  • Publication number: 20170261910
    Abstract: A first rectification circuit includes a bypass element connected to both ends of a rectification element. The bypass element is smaller in voltage drop amount than the rectification element. A power supply device is configured to perform switching between a first mode and a second mode based on at least one of information showing a magnitude of electric power that is being supplied to a load and information showing a magnitude of electric power that is to be supplied to the load. In the first mode, an AC voltage is rectified in a path including the rectification element. In the second mode, the AC voltage is rectified in a path including the bypass element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 24, 2017
    Publication date: September 14, 2017
    Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.
    Inventors: Toru Kasamatsu, Mikiyuki Aoki, Kouei Cho
  • Patent number: 9645541
    Abstract: Image forming apparatus comprises an electric power supply circuit board, an electric power control unit, functional circuits, and an electrical power saving circuit. The electric power control unit executes constant voltage control, to make electrical potential of a remote sensing location constant. The functional circuits are connected with the electric power supply circuit board. The electrical power saving circuit switches the state of functional circuits between the state in which they are provided with electric power and the state in which they are not provided with electric power. The electrical power saving circuit sets the contact point of the input side of the circuit, in which the consumption electrical current or the behavior guarantee minimum electrical voltage is the largest, out of the electrical power saving circuit and functional circuits provided with electric power, as the remote sensing location.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 9, 2017
    Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.
    Inventors: Kouei Cho, Toru Kasamatsu, Mikiyuki Aoki, Yohei Yamada