Patents by Inventor Kunihiko Kitayama
Kunihiko Kitayama 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: 20200073290Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a liquid discharge unit and a connection unit. The liquid discharge unit is configured to be attachable to and detachable from an apparatus body. The liquid discharge unit includes an accommodating container configured to accommodate liquid developer, a discharge pipe portion having a liquid discharge port through which the liquid developer in the accommodating container is discharged. The connection unit includes an insertion portion into which the discharge pipe portion is inserted in an insertion direction intersecting a gravity direction, a liquid receiving portion configured to receive the liquid developer falling from the liquid discharge port, and an abutment member. The abutment member abuts on the surface of the discharge pipe portion from below in the gravity direction, that side surface on a downstream side in the insertion direction forms a guide surface configured to guide the liquid developer to the liquid receiving portion.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 7, 2019Publication date: March 5, 2020Inventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Patent number: 10509357Abstract: At the time of an end of an image forming job (YES of S1), a controller causes a blade and a developing roller to be separated from a photosensitive drum (S2). At that time, the controller controls separation timing of the belt and the developing roller so that the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum before a surface position of the photosensitive drum contacted to the developing roller at a contact position at the time of a start of separation of the blade from the photosensitive drum reaches a developing position with the separation of the blade. According to this, even when a liquid accumulation reaches the developing position depending on the separation of the blade, the developing roller has already been separated from the photosensitive drum before the liquid accumulation reaches the developing position and therefore, the liquid accumulation is not collected by the developing roller.Type: GrantFiled: May 21, 2019Date of Patent: December 17, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Isao Komatsu, Kunihiko Kitayama, Genta Sato
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Publication number: 20190271937Abstract: At the time of an end of an image forming job (YES of S1), a controller causes a blade and a developing roller to be separated from a photosensitive drum (S2). At that time, the controller controls separation timing of the belt and the developing roller so that the developing roller is separated from the photosensitive drum before a surface position of the photosensitive drum contacted to the developing roller at a contact position at the time of a start of separation of the blade from the photosensitive drum reaches a developing position with the separation of the blade. According to this, even when a liquid accumulation reaches the developing position depending on the separation of the blade, the developing roller has already been separated from the photosensitive drum before the liquid accumulation reaches the developing position and therefore, the liquid accumulation is not collected by the developing roller.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 21, 2019Publication date: September 5, 2019Inventors: Isao Komatsu, Kunihiko Kitayama, Genta Sato
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Patent number: 10372056Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger including a discharging wire and a grid electrode for charging a photosensitive drum at a charging position and an exposure device for exposing the drum charged by the charger at an exposure position which is at a downstream side of the charger (in a rotational direction of the drum) at the charging position. The grid electrode includes a first portion having openings and a second portion having only a non-opening portion in a charging region for charging the drum in a longitudinal direction of the charger, and the second portion includes a downstream side peripheral portion at a downstream end of the grid electrode with respect to the rotational direction. In a cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and including the charging region, the downstream side peripheral portion is intersected by a straight line passing through the exposure position and the wire.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2018Date of Patent: August 6, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Motohiro Fujiwara, Kunihiko Kitayama
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Patent number: 10209665Abstract: A cleaning device includes a blade and a seal member including a first portion having first, second and third surfaces and including a second portion having a fourth surface. The first surface opposes a free end surface of the blade. The second surface is connected with the first surface. The third surface is connected with the first and second surfaces and is perpendicular to the free end surface. The fourth surface is parallel to the third surface and the free end surface. A first interior corner line is formed by the free end surface and the third surface so as to be substantially parallel to a thickness direction of the blade. A second interior corner line is formed by the third surface and the fourth surface so as to be connected with said first interior corner line and be substantially parallel to a height direction of the blade.Type: GrantFiled: January 29, 2018Date of Patent: February 19, 2019Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Isao Komatsu, Kunihiko Kitayama
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Publication number: 20180314181Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes a corona charger including a discharging wire, a grid electrode, for charging a photosensitive drum at a charging position; and an exposure device for exposing the drum charged by the charger at an exposure position which is in a downstream side of the charger in a rotational direction of the drum at the charging position. The grid electrode includes a first portion having openings and a second portion having only a non-opening portion in a charging region for charging the drum in a longitudinal direction of the charger, and the second portion includes a downstream side peripheral portion at a downstream end of the grid electrode with respect to the rotational direction. In a cross-section orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and including the charging region, the downstream side peripheral portion is intersected by a straight line passing through the exposure position and the wire.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2018Publication date: November 1, 2018Inventors: Motohiro Fujiwara, Kunihiko Kitayama
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Publication number: 20180224797Abstract: A cleaning device includes a blade and a seal member including a first portion having first, second and third surfaces and including a second portion having a fourth surface. The first surface opposes a free end surface of the blade. The second surface is connected with the first surface. The third surface is connected with the first and second surfaces and is perpendicular to the free end surface. The fourth surface is parallel to the third surface and the free end surface. A first interior corner line is formed by the free end surface and the third surface so as to be substantially parallel to a thickness direction of the blade. A second interior corner line is formed by the third surface and the fourth surface so as to be connected with said first interior corner line and be substantially parallel to a height direction of the blade.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 29, 2018Publication date: August 9, 2018Inventors: Isao Komatsu, Kunihiko Kitayama
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Patent number: 8606169Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes an image forming portion that forms an image on a sheet, an upper unit that is movably mounted above the image forming portion, and a sheet processing apparatus that processes the sheet, having the image formed thereon by the image forming portion, by a processing portion. In addition, a stacking portion on which the sheet processed by the sheet processing apparatus is stacked is disposed between the image forming portion and the upper unit The sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet conveyance path that guides the sheet, having the image formed thereon by the image forming portion, to the processing portion, and the sheet conveyance path is opened with a moving operation of the upper unit.Type: GrantFiled: April 30, 2010Date of Patent: December 10, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Patent number: 8437662Abstract: A driving force transmitting apparatus includes a driving source, a drive pulley rotatable by a driving force supplied from the driving source, a follower pulley rotatable with a member to be rotated, and a belt member extending around a cylindrical surface of the driving pulley and a cylindrical surface of the follower pulley. In addition, an intermediate transmission member contacts the driving pulley and the follower pulley, and the intermediate transmission member has a rigidity higher than that of the belt member.Type: GrantFiled: August 6, 2010Date of Patent: May 7, 2013Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventors: Kunihiko Kitayama, Kohei Deno
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Patent number: 8128084Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which a trailing edge regulation portion is moved to a position according to a sheet contained in a cassette body to regulate a position of the sheet. A positioning lever is swingably provided to the trailing edge regulation portion to be engaged with a rack tooth row provided on the cassette body. The trailing edge regulation portion is held by the positioning lever at a regulation position according to the sheet. When a force in a sliding direction is applied to the trailing edge regulation portion, the trailing edge regulation portion is moved to be brought into pressure contact with the positioning lever, thereby regulating movement in an engagement releasing direction of the positioning lever engaged with the rack tooth row.Type: GrantFiled: February 19, 2010Date of Patent: March 6, 2012Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Publication number: 20110033206Abstract: A driving force transmitting apparatus includes a driving source; a drive pulley rotatable by a driving force supplied from the driving source; a follower pulley rotatable with a member to be rotated; a belt member extending around a cylindrical surface of the driving pulley and a cylindrical surface of the follower pulley; and an intermediate transmission member disposed between the driving pulley and the follower pulley, the intermediate transmission member having a rigidity higher than that of the belt member and contacted to the pulleys or opposed to the pulleys with the belt member therebetween.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 6, 2010Publication date: February 10, 2011Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventors: Kunihiko Kitayama, Kohei Deno
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Publication number: 20100284722Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: an image forming portion that forms an image on a sheet; a upper unit that is movably mounted above the image forming portion; a sheet processing apparatus that processes the sheet, having the image formed thereon by the image forming portion, by a processing portion; and a stacking portion on which the sheet processed by the sheet processing apparatus is stacked and which is disposed between the image forming portion and the upper unit, wherein the sheet processing apparatus includes a sheet conveyance path that guides the sheet, having the image formed thereon by the image forming portion, to the processing portion, and the sheet conveyance path is opened with a moving operation of the upper unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 30, 2010Publication date: November 11, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Publication number: 20100213663Abstract: An image forming apparatus, in which a trailing edge regulation portion is moved to a position according to a sheet contained in a cassette body to regulate a position of the sheet. A positioning lever is swingably provided to the trailing edge regulation portion to be engaged with a rack tooth row provided on the cassette body. The trailing edge regulation portion is held by the positioning lever at a regulation position according to the sheet. When a force in a sliding direction is applied to the trailing edge regulation portion, the trailing edge regulation portion is moved to be brought into pressure contact with the positioning lever, thereby regulating movement in an engagement releasing direction of the positioning lever engaged with the rack tooth row.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 19, 2010Publication date: August 26, 2010Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Patent number: 7315721Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image forming unit for forming a toner image on a sheet, a fixing unit for fixing the toner image transferred on the sheet by heat, a cooling fan for cooling the sheet by supplying air to the sheet fixed by the fixing unit and an oscillating member. The oscillating member has a flat portion formed at the leading end side and shields the flow of air supplied by the cooling fan into the fixing unit.Type: GrantFiled: September 11, 2006Date of Patent: January 1, 2008Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Patent number: 7231157Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a latent image forming device, a developing device, a transferring device, and a corona charging device having a discharge wire and a surrounding shield member and being arranged downstream of a developing position on the image bearing member with respect to its rotational. A density detecting member detects a density of the toner image on the image bearing member at a position downstream of a discharge position of the corona charging device with respect to the rotational direction and upstream of a transfer position. An air flow path is formed through the inside of the shield member and an air is sucked from the image bearing member side toward the shield member. Toner scattered from the developing device side and headed to the density detecting member can be reduced, and ozone near a post charging device can be removed.Type: GrantFiled: April 26, 2005Date of Patent: June 12, 2007Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Publication number: 20070059024Abstract: An image forming apparatus comprises an image forming unit for forming a toner image on a sheet, a fixing unit for fixing the toner image transferred on the sheet by heat, a cooling fan for cooling the sheet by supplying air to the sheet fixed by the fixing unit and an oscillating member. The oscillating member has a flat portion formed at the leading end side and shields the flow of air supplied by the cooling fan into the fixing unit.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 11, 2006Publication date: March 15, 2007Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: KUNIHIKO KITAYAMA
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Patent number: 7142799Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member; toner image forming means for forming a plurality of toner images on the image bearing member; primary transfer means for superimposing the plurality of toner images on the image bearing member on one another in succession to primary transfer the same to a moving intermediate transfer belt in a primary transfer region; a driving source for moving the intermediate transfer belt through a driving transmitting member with respect to a driving roller which supports the intermediate transfer belt and which moves the intermediate transfer belt; a secondary transfer means for collectively secondary transferring the toner images on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording material; removing means which can abut against and separate from the intermediate transfer belt in a approaching and separating region on the intermediate transfer member and which removes toner on the intermediate transfer belt; and locus varyingType: GrantFiled: August 3, 2005Date of Patent: November 28, 2006Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Publication number: 20060029438Abstract: The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus comprising: an image bearing member; toner image forming means for forming a plurality of toner images on the image bearing member; primary transfer means for superimposing the plurality of toner images on the image bearing member on one another in succession to primary transfer the same to a moving intermediate transfer belt in a primary transfer region; a driving source for moving the intermediate transfer belt through a driving transmitting member with respect to a driving roller which supports the intermediate transfer belt and which moves the intermediate transfer belt; a secondary transfer means for collectively secondary transferring the toner images on the intermediate transfer belt to a recording material; removing means which can abut against and separate from the intermediate transfer belt in a approaching and separating region on the intermediate transfer member and which removes toner on the intermediate transfer belt; and locus varyingType: ApplicationFiled: August 3, 2005Publication date: February 9, 2006Applicant: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Publication number: 20050244178Abstract: The image forming apparatus includes a rotatable image bearing member, a latent image forming device, a developing device, a transferring device, a corona charging device which has a discharge wire and a shield member to surround the discharge wire, and which is arranged in a position on a downstream side of a developing position on the image bearing member with respect to a rotational direction of the image bearing member; a density detecting member which detects a density of the toner image on the image bearing member in a position on a downstream side of a discharge position of the corona discharging device with respect to the rotational direction of the image bearing member and on an upstream side of a transfer position; and an air flow path in which an air flow path formed through the inside of the shield member and air is sucked from the image bearing member side toward the shield member.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 26, 2005Publication date: November 3, 2005Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHAInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama
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Patent number: 6661986Abstract: An image forming apparatus having an image forming portion for forming an image, a drive source for generating a driving force for driving the image forming portion, a drive gear for transmitting the driving force from the drive source, a drive shaft for transmitting the driving force to the image forming portion, a first gear and a second gear fitted to the drive shaft and meshing with the drive gear, and a biasing member engaged with the first gear and the second gear and capable of circumferentially biasing the two, wherein in a state in which the first gear and the second gear mesh with the drive gear, it is possible to change over the biasing member to a biasing state and a bias releasing state.Type: GrantFiled: October 8, 2002Date of Patent: December 9, 2003Assignee: Canon Kabushiki KaishaInventor: Kunihiko Kitayama