Patents by Inventor Kouichi Etou
Kouichi Etou 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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Patent number: 10860003Abstract: The servo controller is provided with a command reception unit and a servo control computation unit. In a measurement mode, the command reception unit asynchronously receives with every command reception period a counter output by the control device with every command update period. The servo controller is further provided with an event detection unit configured to detect the occurrence of an event which entails variation in reception intervals of the counter in the measurement mode, a deviation calculation unit configured to calculate a deviation amount between respective clocks of the control device and the servo controller, based on an occurrence period of the event and the command reception period, in the measurement mode, and a reception period adjustment unit configured to adjust the command reception period based on the deviation amount in an operation mode.Type: GrantFiled: September 25, 2019Date of Patent: December 8, 2020Assignee: Fanuc CorporationInventor: Kouichi Etou
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Publication number: 20200103853Abstract: The servo controller is provided with a command reception unit and a servo control computation unit. In a measurement mode, the command reception unit asynchronously receives with every command reception period a counter output by the control device with every command update period. The servo controller is further provided with an event detection unit configured to detect the occurrence of an event which entails variation in reception intervals of the counter in the measurement mode, a deviation calculation unit configured to calculate a deviation amount between respective clocks of the control device and the servo controller, based on an occurrence period of the event and the command reception period, in the measurement mode, and a reception period adjustment unit configured to adjust the command reception period based on the deviation amount in an operation mode.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 25, 2019Publication date: April 2, 2020Applicant: Fanuc CorporationInventor: Kouichi Etou
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Patent number: 10606238Abstract: A servo controller calculates an alternative movement amount, in a control cycle (n) in which a command cannot be received from the host controller, according to jerk calculated with reference to amounts of movement used for controlling the servomotor in former control cycles before the control cycle (n) and the movement amount used for controlling the servomotor in the previous control cycle before the control cycle (n). The servo controller controls movement of the servomotor by use of the alternative movement amount in the control cycle (n) in which the command cannot be received from the host controller.Type: GrantFiled: October 20, 2017Date of Patent: March 31, 2020Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventor: Kouichi Etou
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Patent number: 10303102Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit and a controller configured to control an operation of the image forming unit is provided. The image forming unit includes a conductive member to which a bias voltage is supplied in image formation. The controller is configured to calculate an operating ratio indicating a percentage of a time period during which the conductive member is used, and calculate a value indicating a consumption degree of the conductive member based on the calculated operating ratio and a magnitude of an electrical resistance of the conductive member.Type: GrantFiled: December 13, 2017Date of Patent: May 28, 2019Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventor: Kouichi Etou
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Patent number: 10242765Abstract: Conductive particle 10 has conductive carbon black particle (CB) 11 and cover layer 12. The amount of an insulating resin in conductive particle 10 is from 10 to 50% by mass. The number-average primary particle diameter of CB11 is from 20 to 60 nm; DBP absorption amount is from 100 to 200 mL/100 g. Cover layer 12 is formed by a phase-inversion emulsification method that contains an insulating resin having an amino group and CB11 in an oil phase. Conductive particle 10 is used suitably for a conductive agent of an intermediate transfer belt of an image forming apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 5, 2014Date of Patent: March 26, 2019Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Wanli Zhang, Kouichi Etou, Kazuyoshi Ota, Junji Kanda
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Patent number: 10228676Abstract: A servo control device according to the present invention performs speed control or torque control for controlling speed or torque of a servo motor based on a speed command or a torque command by an analog input voltage, and performs positional control for controlling a position of the servo motor based on feedback from the servo motor, includes a command switching unit determining that a command voltage by the analog input voltage enters a dead zone of the command voltage which is registered in advance and determined as stopping, and when detecting that the command voltage enters the dead zone, the command switching unit ceases the speed control or the torque control to perform deceleration stop by the positional control by distribution processing of a movement command regarding an actual speed when the speed control or the torque control is ceased as an initial speed.Type: GrantFiled: November 17, 2016Date of Patent: March 12, 2019Assignee: FANUC CORPORATIONInventor: Kouichi Etou
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Publication number: 20180173148Abstract: An image forming apparatus including an image forming unit and a controller configured to control an operation of the image forming unit is provided. The image forming unit includes a conductive member to which a bias voltage is supplied in image formation. The controller is configured to calculate an operating ratio indicating a percentage of a time period during which the conductive member is used, and calculate a value indicating a consumption degree of the conductive member based on the calculated operating ratio and a magnitude of an electrical resistance of the conductive member.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 13, 2017Publication date: June 21, 2018Applicant: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventor: Kouichi ETOU
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Publication number: 20180120809Abstract: A servo controller calculates an alternative movement amount, in a control cycle (n) in which a command cannot be received from the host controller, according to jerk calculated with reference to amounts of movement used for controlling the servomotor in former control cycles before the control cycle (n) and the movement amount used for controlling the servomotor in the previous control cycle before the control cycle (n). The servo controller controls movement of the servomotor by use of the alternative movement amount in the control cycle (n) in which the command cannot be received from the host controller.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 20, 2017Publication date: May 3, 2018Inventor: Kouichi ETOU
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Publication number: 20170146974Abstract: A servo control device according to the present invention performs speed control or torque control for controlling speed or torque of a servo motor based on a speed command or a torque command by an analogue input voltage, and performs positional control for controlling a position of the servo motor based on feedback from the servo motor, includes a command switching unit determining that a command voltage by the analogue input voltage enters a dead zone of the command voltage which is registered in advance and determined as stopping, and when detecting that the command voltage enters the dead zone, the command switching unit ceases the speed control or the torque control to perform deceleration stop by the positional control by distribution processing of a movement command regarding an actual speed when the speed control or the torque control is ceased as an initial speed.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 17, 2016Publication date: May 25, 2017Inventor: Kouichi ETOU
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Patent number: 9599980Abstract: A numerical controller includes a commanded movement-amount adjustment section, in addition to a position command section and a positional deviation counter but also. The commanded movement-amount adjustment section calculates an adjusted command movement amount based on a commanded movement amount output from the position command section, positional deviation acquired from the positional deviation counter, and an actual velocity of a control axis, and outputs the calculated adjusted command movement amount to the positional deviation counter. When a load acts on a servo motor so that positional deviation is accumulated and the load is abruptly removed, a situation in which the servo motor abruptly accelerates with its maximum torque in an attempt to eliminate the accumulated positional deviation is avoided.Type: GrantFiled: July 13, 2015Date of Patent: March 21, 2017Assignee: FANUC CorporationInventors: Kouichi Etou, Takehiro Yamaguchi
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Patent number: 9327464Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt used for an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system includes: an elastic layer; and a surface layer formed on the elastic layer, wherein stress relief time ? [ms] of a material used for the elastic layer and hardness H [MPa] of the surface layer satisfy a first condition that 0.48<?<0.75 and 50<H<6275?3?13820?2+10140??2330 or a second condition that 0.75?? and 50<H<150.Type: GrantFiled: May 26, 2015Date of Patent: May 3, 2016Assignee: KONICA MINOLTA, INC.Inventors: Kouichi Etou, Wanli Zhang, Junji Kanda, Kazuyoshi Ota
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Publication number: 20160026170Abstract: A numerical controller includes a commanded movement-amount adjustment section, in addition to a position command section and a positional deviation counter but also. The commanded movement-amount adjustment section calculates an adjusted command movement amount based on a commanded movement amount output from the position command section, positional deviation acquired from the positional deviation counter, and an actual velocity of a control axis, and outputs the calculated adjusted command movement amount to the positional deviation counter. When a load acts on a servo motor so that positional deviation is accumulated and the load is abruptly removed, a situation in which the servo motor abruptly accelerates with its maximum torque in an attempt to eliminate the accumulated positional deviation is avoided.Type: ApplicationFiled: July 13, 2015Publication date: January 28, 2016Inventors: Kouichi ETOU, Takehiro YAMAGUCHI
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Publication number: 20150338789Abstract: An intermediate transfer belt used for an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system includes: an elastic layer; and a surface layer formed on the elastic layer, wherein stress relief time ? [ms] of a material used for the elastic layer and hardness H [MPa] of the surface layer satisfy a first condition that 0.48<?<0.75 and 50<H<6275?3?13820?2+10140??2330 or a second condition that 0.75?? and 50<H<150.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 26, 2015Publication date: November 26, 2015Inventors: Kouichi ETOU, Wanli ZHANG, Junji KANDA, Kazuyoshi OTA
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Publication number: 20140332732Abstract: Conductive particle 10 has conductive carbon black particle (CB) 11 and cover layer 12. The amount of an insulating resin in conductive particle 10 is from 10 to 50% by mass. The number-average primary particle diameter of CB11 is from 20 to 60 nm; DBP absorption amount is from 100 to 200 mL/100 g. Cover layer 12 is formed by a phase-inversion emulsification method that contains an insulating resin having an amino group and CB11 in an oil phase. Conductive particle 10 is used suitably for a conductive agent of an intermediate transfer belt of an image forming apparatus.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 5, 2014Publication date: November 13, 2014Applicant: Konica Minolta, Inc.Inventors: Wanli ZHANG, Kouichi ETOU, Kazuyoshi OTA, Junji KANDA
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Patent number: 7502147Abstract: Paper (41) on which a first reference image (31) is formed in an image forming section (300), and a correction instrument (1) on which a second reference image (33) is formed, are placed at predetermined positions on an original platen (210). Reference images (31, 33) are read as an image for correction by an image reading section (200). An error in the image reading section (200) is measured based on the second reference image (33) of the correction image. The first reference image (31) of the correction image is used to remove the error in the image reading section (200) from the measured error, resulting in an error in the image forming section (300).Type: GrantFiled: May 19, 2004Date of Patent: March 10, 2009Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Masakazu Suzuki, Kouichi Etou, Kazunori Miyamoto, Motohiro Hayashi, Yoshikazu Kondoh
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Publication number: 20090052953Abstract: An image forming apparatus which has means for permitting transfer members to be impressed with respective optimal transfer voltages without increasing the manufacturing cost. In the image forming apparatus, a transfer belt is driven to rotate, and a plural number of photosensitive drums, which bear toner images, are arranged side by side in the rotating direction of the transfer belt. A plural number of transfer members are located opposite from the respective photosensitive drums via the transfer belt. The transfer members charge the transfer belt with a polarity opposite to the polarity of the toner. The gap in the rotating direction of the transfer belt between the photosensitive drum and the transfer member in the most upstream transfer section is the largest, and the gap in the rotating direction of the transfer belt between the photosensitive drum and the transfer member in the most downstream transfer section is the smallest.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 18, 2008Publication date: February 26, 2009Applicant: Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc.Inventor: Kouichi ETOU
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Publication number: 20060285182Abstract: Paper (41) on which a first reference image (31) is formed in an image forming section (300), and a correction instrument (1) on which a second reference image (33) is formed, are placed at predetermined positions on an original platen (210). Reference images (31, 33) are read as an image for correction by an image reading section (200). An error in the image reading section (200) is measured based on the second reference image (33) of the correction image. The first reference image (31) of the correction image is used to remove the error in the image reading section (200) from the measured error, resulting in an error in the image forming section (300).Type: ApplicationFiled: May 19, 2004Publication date: December 21, 2006Inventors: Masakazu Suzuki, Kouichi Etou, Kazunori Miyamoto, Motohiro Hayashi, Yoshikazu Kondoh
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Patent number: 5633669Abstract: In a digital image forming apparatus, the intensity or the pulse width of laser beam exposure is modulated according to image signals of a document detected by a sensor. A peak waveform having a peak is generated in each light-emitting period of laser beam. For example, and a signal having a peak is synthesized with the image signals to generate the peak waveform. Thus, the laser is driven according to the peak waveforms so that the exposed portions on a photoconductor in correspondence to the peaks are exposed with a larger quantity of light at low densities. Then, the amount of the gamma correction can be decreased and the gradation characteristic can be stabilized.Type: GrantFiled: January 26, 1994Date of Patent: May 27, 1997Assignee: Minolta Co., Ltd.Inventors: Yoshinobu Hada, Masaki Tanaka, Kazuyuki Fukui, Kouichi Etou
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Patent number: 5383007Abstract: Apparatus for measuring developer density comprising, a developer agitator section agitating a developer, a rotational conveying member conveying the developer in the developer agitator section with its rotation, a transparent detection window facing the developer agitator section, a plurality of magnets being fixed on the rotational conveying member, and retaining the developer, and causing the developer to be brought into contact with the transparent detection window with a rotation of the rotational conveying member, a density detection section measuring the developer density on the basis of reflected light by illuminating the developer retained on the magnets, and caused to be brought into contact with the detection window, and the magnets including at least one cleaning magnet, and the density detection section is situated in a passage of the developer which is conveyed so as to be circulated through first agitator passage adjacent to a development section and second agitator passage behind the first agiType: GrantFiled: January 17, 1992Date of Patent: January 17, 1995Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoyoshi Kinoshita, Kouichi Etou
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Patent number: 5276481Abstract: An apparatus for optically measuring toner density, having a rotary member which rotates and retains a developer constituted by a toner and a carrier by magnetic force, a transparent detection window which is disposed at a position where the developer retained on the rotary member rubs said detection window through rotation of said rotary member, a detection device which illuminates the developer through the detection window and detects the amount of reflected light from the developer and the magnitude of variations of the amount in response to rotation of the rotary member, and a warning device which issues an abnormal warning when the magnitude is smaller than a predetermined reference value, and a method for optically measuring toner density by using the apparatus.Type: GrantFiled: May 13, 1992Date of Patent: January 4, 1994Assignee: Minolta Camera Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Naoyoshi Kinoshita, Kouichi Etou